Plant City Florida Boy with Autism Wanders and Drowns
Another child with autism has died. Autism is an American epidemic; more so than measles, more than whooping cough, more than crib bumpers, more than [insert fear of the week product with actual liability recall here.] Many of us live with the fear of our children, from 5 to 15 and older wandering off, bolting into harm's way every single day.
No safety awareness. Not responding to name when sought. No internal "I should get back to Mom or Dad, I've wandered away!" And a homing device that compels them to water.
If you are really and truly against a cure for the children of those of us who would give our souls to the devil for one - I invite you look at this Micnael's face and ask yourself, "What the hell is wrong with me?" God rest his soul and bring his family solace.
From Bay News 9 Plant City, FL
Deputies have located the body of a missing 5-year-old autistic boy in a Plant City pond.
Michael Bolden went missing Sunday morning at a farmer's market located near Highway 39 and Sam Allen Road in Plant City. His body was found later in the afternoon in the dark, murky pond, which is not protected by fences and is located in the middle of the market.
Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee said it appears as though Michael's death was an accident, and that he was not being properly supervised.
“Right now we’re in recovery mode of this operation, and we’ll be conducting an investigation as to how the child got in the water, but it appears it was probably an accident, and the child was not being properly supervised," he said....
Prayers for Michael's family.
Posted by: Jeannette Bishop | June 02, 2015 at 12:01 PM
I thought so too, Nine Lives and I agree with you. Poor little thing.
Posted by: Benedetta | June 01, 2015 at 06:00 PM
Thanks again to the Chilibots and Paul Szoldra and Scienceblogs! Really, thanks.
Posted by: Thanks Chilibots & Paul Szoldra | June 01, 2015 at 04:47 PM
This little boy does not look well, does not look like he feels well. I also blame those who allowed him to become sick in the first place and buried the data that would have opened the issue wide and brought compensation to affected families. He was killed by those in charge. It's worse than tragic.
Posted by: Nine Lives | June 01, 2015 at 01:11 PM
I don't know if this child was 'properly supervised' or not, but the report felt like 'blame the victim' to me. But one of the 'signs' that my son had autism, that took me a while to catch on to as he was my first, was that total lack of concern when he was separated from his parents. One minute you are looking at a book with your child at a giant Barnes and Nobles, the next minute you look up and your child is literally across the store. One time I watched him play (safely) for 15 minutes to see if he would notice we were separated. He did not. There seemed to be absolutely NO way to teach him or get it through to him. He used to dart in parking lots as well. He would slip out of my hands and end up running. I remember how his special needs public pre school was not totally fenced in and my begging the administrator to do this. I could never relax, even when he was at school, because even the autism teachers didn't get it. I was so sleep deprived during those years its a miracle we both survived. I used to look for play areas that were completely fenced in, because if they weren't, I had to follow my son darting around as if he were a soccer ball. I could not rest for an instant. I can see how a parent, going to a market, getting a 'break' from 24 hour childcare of an autistic child, might lose focus for a moment, and in that moment, lose her child to a pond, or a car accident, or a stranger. I want to pass on one tip though for those still living this: I could NOT get my child to understand about parking lots. Finally, I got a toy ,and I got a toy truck. I ran over the toy with the toy truck and crushed it. I then went out to the parking lot and showed my son the toy truck and the toy and somehow got him to make the connection. He never darted in parking lots again. Thank you all the parents who told me to stop vaccines at 14 months, and told me about all the biomed treatments, because my son is mostly recovered now. He is still at higher risk of accidents, and he has a long way to go, but I realize that some children never grow out of the wandering stage, and my heart truly goes out to you. And my prayers too. You are heroic beyond measure.
Posted by: Wake Up America | June 01, 2015 at 09:52 AM
The poor boy looks so sick. Colleen Boyle and Frank DeStefeno's et. el. handiwork.
Posted by: Holly | June 01, 2015 at 09:40 AM