In the D.C. area, the area that I am from but don't live anymore, there was a 7-year old autistic boy who went missing yesterday. A friend of mine went out today to pass out fliers to help find him. Unfortunately, he did not survive. All too often autistic children get out, and whether people who don't have autistic children believe it or not, it is very easy for these children to get away unnoticed. This does not mean we are bad parents, this is common for autistic children and I know this to be true because it has happened to me.
Years ago when Jordan was about 3 I would say because I know he was in ESY, he escaped our home. We realized he wasn't downstairs or upstairs and looked all over the house but no Jordan. My heart dropped. I ran out of the house probably with no shoes on and had no idea which way I was going to run but I was just going to run until I found my baby. As soon as I headed down the driveway, I saw Jordan walking back to the house, crying with his cup in his hand, and police officers behind him. I ran straight to him and picked him up and the cops were saying to each other I told you he was going back home. I have no idea where he went, but my husband saw a lady pull over suddenly by the 7-11 near our house but didn't know why and thought nothing of it. She called the cops and once they came and I guess when they tried to take him or talk to him, he headed back home. The cops didn't do anything but tell us we should invest in securing our yard better and close off the fence. I believe that was one of the scariest day of my life if not the scariest. I wish I could have thanked the lady who called the police. He could have easily been hit, or abducted by someone. But God was on our side that day.
My heart goes out to those that just lost their little boy because I could have been in their shoes 6 years ago. I said my prayers and hoped so very hard that he would be found safe. There are no words to explain how I feel other than I almost feel like I lost someone in my family. As parents of autistic children we all have a common bond, even those that don't know each other because we have all been in the same boat at one time or another. It's truly a sad situation. Ever since Jordan got out I have kept a very sharp eye out on him. He hasn't gotten out since but I'm not going to sit here and say he never could have gotten out again. But I couldn't imagine that happening to my baby. R.I.P. Little Guy. God has you now.
