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How Amber and Silver Alert Systems Are Forgetting America's Children

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ADVOCACY 9PCFI@D:@CN8@E HOW AMBER AND SILVER ALERT SYSTEMS ARE FORGETTING AMERICA’S CHILDREN WITH AUTISM s the warmer months roll in, so do along with any other relevant information. (Davis, one of the busiest four lane roads in summer camps, open windows and In 2006, there were 261 AMBER Alerts our town.) In his thick Brooklyn accent, he Aßimsy screen doors. Longer recesses issued, according to the National Center for explained he was going to buy stamps, and in the late school months. More outdoor Missing and Exploited Children. Children although he drove past Connor, he Þgured gatherings. More chances for a child with were recovered on the same day of the heÕd turn the car around to Òget a better autism to wander. Alert in 106 of the cases, with the majority look.Ó Once he realized Connor was missing, ItÕs only logical that an increase of being found within the same city they were he called the local authorities. disappearances and deaths would happen reported missing. Eleven of the 261 cases That night I went from restlessly lying in in our community. With 1 in 150 children crossed state lines. bed, to sitting up. I wrapped my forearms now diagnosed, and 92% of them prone around my knees, rocking, sobbing. Benjy to wandering according to an online COULD AN AMBER ALERT SYSTEM HeilÕs mother didnÕt have what I had. Come survey conducted by the National Autism HELP OUR CHILDREN? dark, her child was still missing. Come three Association, children with autism are at more One canÕt help wondering if an AMBER days, her child was dead. riskLoriÕs for children: wandering-related Connor and Charlotte deaths than ever. Alert would have helped Benjy. Maybe the Like any parents, my husband Christian But if you think the AMBER Alert system will neighbor would have known to call 911. and I fear the worst each time Connor help recover our missing children, donÕt. BenjyÕs body was found a few days later in a leaves our home. HeÕs wandered a total of news photo of him at my desk as a reminder. legislators. Asking their receptionist for As we learned last year following the creek. sevenDrownings times, each time typically from the classroom Being a child advocate and part of the the right staffer. Getting voicemail and a disappearanceNational Autism of Association, Benjy Heil, itÕsthe children 7-year-old like callbackAccording born out to aof study obligation published more inthan the orhappen playground afterof three different a child schools. whothis that wandered instill the from desire his Michigan to not give home, up. compassion.Journal of AutismAll reasons and toDevelopmental procrastinate. WeÕve taken detailed measures to ensure only abducted children qualify. I recall the ThenDisorders a few days(Shavelle, later Iet noticed al, 2001), a different elevated hiswith safety, autism including Þghting has for a one- updateA NEW fromALERT a search SYSTEM team IS member: CREATED, ÒBenjy alertdeath on ratesmy TV among screen. those A Silver with Alert. autism were in on-one and enrolling him in the Project wasBUT last NO seen CHILDREN by a neighbor ALLOWED on the road, Althoughlarge part IÕd attributed never heard to of drowning. it, I understood Drownings Lifesaverwandered. program, whichIn the provides past a tracking theIt was neighbor early May told when him Ito was get reminded off the road of or whattypically it meant. happen A missing after asenior, child withlikely autism with transmitter that Connor now wears around heÕllthe AMBER get hit.ÓÉ Alert. ÒI Oneasked had the been police issued why they AlzheimerÕs.has wandered. In the past four years alone, hisfour wrist. years Most Sheriff alone, ofÞces doat not didnÕtin our areasend Ð out the an details AMBER crawled Alert. over They our said atThe least Silver 14 Alertchildren became with effectiveautism under in age 12 participateleast 14 in Projectchildren Lifesaver with due to lack heevening didnÕt newscast. meet criteria.Ó I mustÕve let out a sigh myhave state died of Northas a result Carolina of wandering. in 2007. ItÕs a of funding, so itÕs only available to a select sinceItÕs Christian,a common my assumption husband, asked that AMBER what was systemA couple that notiÞes of months the publicafter BenjyÕsabout missing death, few.autism Having an underorganized alertage system 12 in Alertswrong. are I explained for all missing what happened children. Namedto Benjy, endangeredmy own child adults went who missing. suffer Samefrom dementia age, place would help compensate for the lack of afterand how 9-year-old an AMBER Amber Alert Hagerman couldÕve madewho was orsame other diagnosis. cognitive impairments,He managed suchto escape as a programshave diedlike Project as Lifesaver. a result abducteda difference. and He murdered walked to in the 1996, computer, AMBER AlzheimerÕsschoolyard disease. Ð wandering The only close downside to an hour to IÕve thought about Benjy from time and islooked also anup acronymthe AMBER for AlertÒAmericaÕs and wrote Missing: thebefore system? a gentleman No children found allowed. him. ÒI almost time,of wandering. and Logan Mitcheltree, who wandered Broadcastingdown the lawmakers Emergency most Response.Óinvolved with its didnÕtIt prompted stop,Ó methe toman call told one me. of the ÒHe names looked from his Pennsylvania home in 2004. He Wheneverenactment. we see an AMBER Alert, weÕre onlike my he list couldÕve Ð Senator been Dianne old enoughFeinstein, to awalk was 9-years-old and died from prolonged givenIÕd been a description down this of road a missing before. child, Calling Californiaalone, he Democrat was heading who towardshad helped Davis our Drive.Ó exposure to the cold. IÕve kept a well-worn 50 ReprintedAUTUMN 2008 with THE permission AUTISM FILE from The Autism File. Autumn 2008. Info@autismÞle.com.Reprinted with permission from The Autism File. AutumnTHE 2008.AUTISM FILEInfo@autismÞle.com. AUTUMN 2008 51 LoriÕs children: Connor and Charlotte LoriÕs children: Connor and Charlotte news photo of him at my desk as a reminder. legislators. Asking their receptionist for news photo of him at my desk as a reminder. legislators. Asking their receptionist for Drownings typically Being a child advocate and part of the the right staffer. Getting voicemail and a Drownings typically Being a child advocate and part of the the right staffer. Getting voicemail and a National Autism Association, itÕs children like callback born out of obligation more than National Autism Association, itÕs children like callback born out of obligation more than happen after a child this that instill the desire to not give up. compassion. All reasons to procrastinate. happen after a child this that instill the desire to not give up. compassion. All reasons to procrastinate. ThenThen a afew few days days later later I noticed I noticed a differenta different withwith autism autism has has A NEW ALERT SYSTEMSYSTEM IS IS CREATED, CREATED, alertalert on on my my TV TV screen. screen. A ASilver Silver Alert. Alert. wandered. In the past BUT NO CHILDREN ALLOWEDALLOWED AlthoughAlthough IÕd IÕd never never heard heard of ofit, it,I understood I understood wandered. In the past It was earlyearly MayMay whenwhen I Iwas was reminded reminded of of whatwhat it itmeant. meant. A Amissing missing senior, senior, likely likely with with four years alone, at the AMBER Alert.Alert. OneOne had had been been issued issued AlzheimerÕs.AlzheimerÕs. four years alone, at in our areaarea ÐÐ thethe detailsdetails crawled crawled over over our our TheThe Silver Silver Alert Alert became became effective effective in in leastleast 14 14 children children with with evening newscast. II mustÕvemustÕve let let out out a a sigh sigh mymy state state of of North North Carolina Carolina in in2007. 2007. ItÕs ItÕs a a since Christian, mymy husband,husband, asked asked what what was was systemsystem that that notiÞes notiÞes the the public public about about missing missing autismautism under under age age 12 12 wrong. I explained whatwhat happened happened to to Benjy, Benjy, endangeredendangered adults adults who who suffer suffer from from dementia dementia and how anan AMBERAMBER AlertAlert couldÕve couldÕve made made oror other other cognitive cognitive impairments, impairments, such such as as havehave died died as as a resulta result a difference. HeHe walkedwalked to to the the computer, computer, AlzheimerÕsAlzheimerÕs disease. disease. The The only only downside downside to to looked upup thethe AMBERAMBER AlertAlert and and wrote wrote thethe system? system? No No children children allowed. allowed. ofof wandering. wandering. down the lawmakerslawmakers mostmost involved involved with with its its ItIt prompted prompted me me to to call call one one of ofthe the names names enactment. onon my my list list Ð ÐSenator Senator Dianne Dianne Feinstein, Feinstein, a a IÕd beenbeen downdown thisthis roadroad before. before. Calling Calling CaliforniaCalifornia Democrat Democrat who who had had helped helped our our Reprinted with permissionpermission from from The The Autism Autism File. File. Autumn Autumn 2008. 2008. Info@autismÞle.com. Info@autismÞle.com. THE THEAUTISM AUTISM FILE FILE AUTUMN AUTUMN 2008 200851 51 ADVOCACY With 1 in 150 children now diagnosed, and 92% of them prone to wandering according to an online survey conducted by the National Autism Association, children with autism are at more risk for wandering-related deaths than ever. But if you think the AMBER Alert system will help recover our missing children, don’t. cause in the past. Once I got her Judiciary com. ÒIf [a senior] is reported missing, a unless itÕs mandated. For children, itÕs not. staffer on the phone, I Þgured it would protocol would be followed that could lead There is one state that appears to have be a no-brainer. ÒWe need to expand the to the ARTIMIS message boards being open criteria to anyone with a developmental criteria of the AMBER Alert,Ó I told him.
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