‘Lost teen’ finally out of hospital

A NARRE Warren boy whose 12-day disappearance sparked a full-scale police search earlier this year has finally been released from hospital.
Glenn Birtwistle, 16, disappeared from his home on 26 July when he went to catch a bus to school.
The Berwick Secondary College was found 12 days later when a woman walking her dog noticed the teenager curled up in a ball along a fire track in Belgrave-Hallam Road in Belgrave.
Police said Glenn was disorientated and dehydrated when found and had survived his bush ordeal on half a muesli bar and by drinking creek water he had captured in his school bag.
He was later taken to Dandenong Hospital for treatment after spending many nights in the bush where temperatures had fallen below zero.
Detective Senior Constable Andrew Smart of Narre Warren CIU, who handled the investigation, this week said the teenager had only recently been released from hospital after needing medical treatment for fluid between his lungs and heart.
He said Glenn had spent time in both the Dandenong Hospital and Monash Medical Centre recovering from the ordeal.
Det Sen Const Smart said he was still waiting to talk to the teenager and would then compile an official statement of the boy’s whereabouts, and other details, surrounding his 12-day appearance.
Det Sen Const Smart said he believed the boy would soon return to school.
He declined to elaborate on the reasons surrounding Glenn’s disappearance, but had previously told the News that the boy had been by himself the entire time he was missing, and was very sorry for the ‘drama’ he had caused.
The News contacted the Birtwistle family recently but they declined to comment on Glenn’s recovery.