The Volusia Sheriff's Office announced on Thursday that it would be joining Project Lifesaver, an initiative aimed at reducing mortality of those who are prone to wandering due to various cognitive disorders or disabilities. The move comes in the wake of the two recent deaths of children with autism in Volusia County.
The first incident was the heartbreaking passing of 4-year-old Waylon Childs of Ormond Beach. He went missing on November 24th at the park with his family, leading to an hours-long search by several law enforcement agencies. He was unfortunately found dead in the water near where he went missing.
Just two days later the community was hit by another tragic death, that of 7-year-old Charlie Newton in Deltona. He'd been reported missing on November 25th, before being found dead in a lake. Newton was reportedly nonverbal due to his autism.
The Volusia Sheriff's Office has arranged a partnership with the Community Partnership for Children, a contracted organization with the Department of Children and Families, to address the problem with new resources made available to residents. With the funding made available by the Community Partnership, the VSO is joining Project Lifesaver.
With operations in several nations, Project Lifesaver aims to reduce the dangers associated with wandering adults and children who live with conditions such as autism. Those who participate are equipped with a battery-operated transmitter band which can help pinpoint their location far quicker than a simple search-and-rescue operation. The VSO purchased 122 devices.
"Over the last two weeks we saw the horrific deaths of two autistic children to drowning," said Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood. "We are proud to partner with the Community Partnership for Children here in Volusia County."
A release prepared by the Volusia Sheriff's Office states that families who wish to enroll in autism safety initiatives can do so through the agency's VSO Autism Awareness Program. There, families can register their address and contact information. It did not specify if this can serve as a portal to Project Lifesaver, and representatives with the VSO were not available for comment as of Friday morning.
Resources are also available through Halifax Health and Easterseals, who partnered to distribute GPS devices to help keep autistic residents safe. Furthermore, the VSO offers car decals to families with autistic people so that, in the event of a traffic stop or other encounter with law enforcement, deputies and officers can prepare themselves for the unique circumstances presented when dealing with autistic individuals.
