Special autism alert sought for wandering

Special alert sought

A Kansas group wants law enforcement agencies to issue a special alert when someone with autism or a similar condition wanders away from a caretaker. The Mason Allen Medlam Foundation has gathered 11,000 signatures from people who support the creation of a Mason Alert, founder Sheila Mason said. Mason, of Colwich, Kan., is the mother of Mason Medlam, 5, who drowned in July after wandering from his home. She said she hopes to get 15,000 signatures and get an alert created. “The whole point is to keep these kids alive,” Medlam said. “Once they start to wander they are attracted to water.” Drowning is a leading cause of preventable death among autistic children, she said. There are 770,000 autistic children under age 18 in the United States. The petition can be signed at masonallenmedlamfoundation.com

Beth Martin, 31, mother of Savannah Martin, 7, a girl who drowned in Lawton in February

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