The Politics of Autism discusses the problems of wandering and day-to-day safety.
Kevin Accettulla at WCMH-TV:
Gov. Mike DeWine signed a bill that will create an alert system for missing children with autism.
House Bill 359 was sponsored by Rep. Cecil Thomas (D-Cincinnati) and Rep. Jennifer Gross (R-West Chester). The bill creates the Joshua Alert for cases of missing children who have autism or other developmental disabilities. Watch previous coverage in the player above.
The alert is named after Joshua Al-Lateef, a 6-year-old boy with autism who went missing in 2024 in West Chester, a suburb of Cincinnati. When his mother, Jonisa Cook, called 911, she was told there was no immediate alert that could be sent out to the community.
Hours later, Joshua was found dead in a nearby pond.
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Kyle Erdeljac, who testified in favor of the bill on behalf of the Ohio Fraternal Order of Police, said the bill addresses a problem for law enforcement.
“These are not our typical runaway cases,” Erdeljac said. “Many children with autism are non-verbal and unable to communicate. They may not appreciate danger the same way as you or I. Tragically, some are drawn to water, and drownings happen.”
Erdeljac said children with autism need help fast and law enforcement needs a clear way to spread the word.
The bill passed both the Ohio House and Senate unanimously.
In recent years, five states – including Florida, Maryland, Kansas, Mississippi and Connecticut – have established emergency alerts for all individuals with disabilities.
