When Safety Means Constant Vigilance | Toronto News

When an 11-year-old autistic boy named Parker vanished and was later found dead, it sent shockwaves through families living with the daily terror of elopement — when autistic children wander off. Parents describe exhausting, often extreme measures like alarms, locks, and even duct tape to keep their kids safe, sometimes sleeping in shifts. Behind the behavior? Complex reasons — sensory overload, deep immersion in their own world — that leave parents feeling judged, not understood. While calls grow for nationwide alert systems, many families say they need immediate support, not just after-the-fact solutions, as they’re stuck on long waitlists for critical services. The emotional and physical toll is crushing — a reality few outsiders truly grasp. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/f37bfe06f68b62a1