Create Georgia’s Endangered Autistic Child Alert Program
The Issue
Every second matters when an autistic child goes missing.
Children with autism who wander from home are at an especially high risk of serious injury or death. Many are naturally drawn to water, and far too many missing autistic children are found in ponds, lakes, swimming pools, creeks, and other nearby bodies of water. In these situations, the first hour can make all the difference.
While Georgia has emergency alert systems for abducted children and other endangered individuals, there is currently no alert specifically designed for autistic children who wander and are in immediate danger.
I am asking the Georgia General Assembly and the Governor of Georgia to create an Endangered Autistic Child Alert Program.
This alert should allow law enforcement to quickly notify the public when an autistic child who meets strict safety criteria goes missing. The alert could include:
The child’s name, age, and photo.
The last known location.
Information about any known attraction to water or other safety risks.
A request for nearby residents to immediately check swimming pools, ponds, lakes, creeks, wooded areas, playgrounds, and other locations where the child may have wandered.
The alert should only be activated when law enforcement determines the child is in immediate danger and that public assistance could help locate them safely.
As the mother of a young son with level 3 autism, this issue is deeply personal to me. Every time I see another story about an autistic child wandering away and later being found in a nearby body of water, I can’t help but think that faster public awareness could save a life.
This isn’t about creating unnecessary alerts. It’s about recognizing that autistic children who wander face unique and well-documented dangers. A specialized alert could help communities respond immediately during the most critical moments.
No family should have to wonder whether their child could have been saved if more people had known to start looking right away.
I urge Georgia’s elected officials to work with law enforcement, first responders, autism advocates, and families to create an Endangered Autistic Child Alert Program that gives vulnerable children the best possible chance of being found safely.
Please sign this petition and help us protect Georgia’s autistic children. Together, we can help save lives.
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The Issue
Every second matters when an autistic child goes missing.
Children with autism who wander from home are at an especially high risk of serious injury or death. Many are naturally drawn to water, and far too many missing autistic children are found in ponds, lakes, swimming pools, creeks, and other nearby bodies of water. In these situations, the first hour can make all the difference.
While Georgia has emergency alert systems for abducted children and other endangered individuals, there is currently no alert specifically designed for autistic children who wander and are in immediate danger.
I am asking the Georgia General Assembly and the Governor of Georgia to create an Endangered Autistic Child Alert Program.
This alert should allow law enforcement to quickly notify the public when an autistic child who meets strict safety criteria goes missing. The alert could include:
The child’s name, age, and photo.
The last known location.
Information about any known attraction to water or other safety risks.
A request for nearby residents to immediately check swimming pools, ponds, lakes, creeks, wooded areas, playgrounds, and other locations where the child may have wandered.
The alert should only be activated when law enforcement determines the child is in immediate danger and that public assistance could help locate them safely.
As the mother of a young son with level 3 autism, this issue is deeply personal to me. Every time I see another story about an autistic child wandering away and later being found in a nearby body of water, I can’t help but think that faster public awareness could save a life.
This isn’t about creating unnecessary alerts. It’s about recognizing that autistic children who wander face unique and well-documented dangers. A specialized alert could help communities respond immediately during the most critical moments.
No family should have to wonder whether their child could have been saved if more people had known to start looking right away.
I urge Georgia’s elected officials to work with law enforcement, first responders, autism advocates, and families to create an Endangered Autistic Child Alert Program that gives vulnerable children the best possible chance of being found safely.
Please sign this petition and help us protect Georgia’s autistic children. Together, we can help save lives.
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Petition created on July 2, 2026