Three children with autism drowned in the past month in Houston, Texas, so “Autism Mom” is taking action

In less than 30 days, three Houston-area children with autism wandered from their homes and drowned. A fourth child on the spectrum drowned earlier in the summer.

- On Sept 22, a 5-year old with autism drowned in pond in Houston’s Cypress area
- On Sept 18, a 7-year-old with autism drowned in a pool in northeast Harris County
- On Aug 25, an 8-year-old boy with autism drowned in a lake in suburban Richmond
- On June 27, a 12-year-old nonverbal autistic girl drowned in a lake in suburban Fulshear

National autism advocate Sheletta Brundidge plans to travel from her current home in Minnesota to her hometown of Houston to host another “Spread Love with Locks” event. The Houston native will donate keyless electronic interior combination locks to Houston area families with children on the spectrum at a giveaway on Sept 28.

“The deaths of these precious children break my heart,” said Brundidge. “I want to raise awareness for families with kids on the spectrum about the locks that might make their lives easier in trying to keep their kids safe.”

The mother of three children on the autism spectrum, Brundidge has found the keyless electronic interior combination locks effective in protecting her own children. As a national autism activist, she wants other parents and caregivers know about them and have access to them.

Brundidge also wants to raise community awareness about the vulnerability of children on the autism spectrum. When startled by a noise or feeling overstimulated, they are prone to wandering, sometimes called eloping. Many children with autism are nonverbal and don’t respond to verbal commands. They are also drawn to the calmness of water. As a result, autistic children are 160 times more likely to drown compared to children without autism.

Brundidge will travel to Richmond, Texas on Sept 28 to meet with area families with children on the autism spectrum and give them the locks that she is donating.

Richmond is the community where Ryan Akagbusi, a non-verbal 8-year-old autistic boy, went missing from his home on Aug. 24. His body was recovered from a nearby lake the next morning.

Local law enforcement officers involved in the search for the child will join Brundidge for the event.

"The death of 8-year-old Ryan is a terrible tragedy,” said Fort Bend County Sheriff Eric Fagan. “We hope that families concerned about their loved ones' tendency to wander will take advantage of this free lock giveaway and use them as an extra layer of precaution.”

This summer Brundidge has made it her mission to raise awareness about the specialized locks. She has hosted lock giveaways in Minnesota , Massachusetts and a previous giveaway in Texas in communities where children with autism have wandered from their homes and drowned.

“Each lock is one child saved,” Brundidge said. “I tell people all the time to get these locks for themselves, for their parents’ house, their grandparents’ house, aunts’ and uncles’ houses, anywhere your child goes.”

When Brundidge’s son Daniel was four, he vanished one winter day while she was in the restroom. Alarmed because temperatures were below zero,  Brundidge began a frantic search. When she was just about ready to dial 911, she looked out a window.

“He was jumping on the trampoline in the back yard, on top of the ice,” she recalled.

That prompted Brundidge’s search for effective interior locks, which she eventually found on Amazon. Installing the keyless electronic interior combination locks has given her reassurance.

“I could shower and sleep peacefully,” she said. “Daniel would jump the baby gates, pop the deadbolt on the door. He would slip out while we were bringing groceries in.”

The lock giveaway on Sept. 28 will take place at Gus George Academy in Richmond, Texas from 10 a.m. to noon.

While the reason for the event is serious, Brundidge has a festive day planned for families who participate. When they pick up the donated locks, they will also be treated to face painting, balloon twists and an ice cream truck.

“We’re making it a whole vibe,” said Brundidge. “Kids with autism are always last. They’re last to go on the bus, last to go to the cafeteria, last to go to the playground. We want to put them and their families first and spread love with these locks.”