Jackson Kastner was known around Monroe as his mama's little duckling. The autistic 4-year-old followed Melissa Kastner everywhere she went.
But on March 27, after unloading groceries, Kastner turned and saw that Jackson was gone. Less than three hours later, authorities recovered his body from the Raisin River. Like others with autism, he had wandered away.
The problem of wandering is getting more attention as autism diagnoses increase and the number of people living with Alzheimer's disease and dementia continues to grow, said experts. Between 2000 and 2025, the greater Michigan chapter of the Alzheimer's Association says, the number of people in the state age 65 and older with Alzheimer's disease will jump 12%, from 170,000 to 190,000.
Several tracking devices, such as radio wristbands, have cropped up in recent years, touted as offering peace of mind forparents like Kastner and people like Doris Gunter who care for someone with Alzheimer's disease or dementia. The Detroiter's 71-year-old father, L.J. Blevins, left their backyard in July and is still missing.
The devices promise a quick and safe return of a loved one who has wandered away.
Kastner said a tracking device could have saved Jackson's life.
"If I would have known about some device that would have tracked him, I would have used it," she said. "I would take out a loan to do it."
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