An “Autism Alert” For When a Child is Missing?
November 20, 2008 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Safety, Water
Just as there is the Amber Alert for abducted children, should there be an “Autism Alert” when an autistic child is missing? The parents of Kaitlyn Bacile—-who, in September, was found drowned in a canal near her home —-think so, as reported in today’s WSVN (Florida):
While it’s too late for Kaitlyn, her parents hope some good can come from their tragedy.
Jay Bacile: “We want Kaitlyn’s life not to go in vain, at the very minimum we want to raise awareness. We just want her memory to live on and do good because that’s what Kaitlyn was, was pure goodness.
WSVN notes that current programs designed to report that autistic children are missing are “not being used consistently”:
The “Take Me Home” program supplies police with pictures and information of at-risk kids.
But of the 271 law enforcement agencies in Florida, only 41 use it. “A Child is Missing” is a national emergency system which can put out 1000 alert calls in one minute to a neighborhood where a child goes missing.
Claudia Corrigan, ACIM. “It’s important to get these calls out there immediately, and we can do it. You have a small window of time it’s a two to three hour and even then, if there’s water nearby it’s very very tough.”
The service is free to police, but they don’t always use it. Finally, only 37 police departments in Florida have picked up a program called project lifesaver.
Wristbands allow rescuers to track the person wearing it, but it puts the burden on parents to pay for a $300 bracelet. And most autistic children have sensory issues and won’t wear them.
Tina Brea: “This is a child that cannot communicate, that cannot understand the simple commands that others their age can. So any attention that can be brought to this the better.”
What would be the best way to spread the word, as quickly as possible, that a child is missing?
Parental Abduction?
September 26, 2008 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Parenting, Safety
13-year-old Austin Large has been missing since earlier this week, when he did not return from a fishing trip with his father, Eugene Large. Today’s AM 900 reports that police now believe that this may be a case of parental abduction:
Witnesses though have told police they saw the two aboard a ferry to Manitoulin on Saturday, and that they bought 2 beige t-shirts.
They were then spotted in Espanola about 4 hours later.
Police believe they may still be in northern Ontario, en-route to either Alberta or eastern Canada.
It’s believed Austin is out of his autism medication and that his father is stressed and behaving abnormally, following the break-up of his marriage.
Hoping that Austin is back home, soon.
Jeff Stimpson
Jill Cornfield