My name is Merina Lopez, and I am here today as a mother advocating for the safety of my four-year-old son, Azrael, who has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Level 2.

Like many children with autism, my son experiences elopement, also known as wandering. This is not simply a child running away—it is a medically recognized behavior associated with autism that can place children in immediate, life-threatening danger.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 1 in 31 children are diagnosed with autism, and about half of autistic children have wandered from a safe environment at least once. Of those children who wander, one in four goes missing long enough to cause serious concern and are most commonly in danger of drowning or traffic-related injury. (CDC) Here in Colorado, autism affects thousands of families. Colorado has participated in the CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Program, which has documented the growing prevalence of autism across our state. (CDPHE)For my family, this is not just a statistic—it is our daily reality. 

Every day I worry that my son could leave the safety of our home without understanding the danger around him. Unfortunately, our neighborhood has another serious safety issue. Vehicles regularly travel down our street well above the speed limit, often exceeding 40 miles per hour. If my son were to wander into the roadway, a driver traveling at those speeds may not have enough time to stop.

I have already tried to be proactive. I attended our Neighborhood Watch meeting and spoke with our local police department to request that a speed tracker be placed on our block to help address the speeding problem. Spoke with Officer Zyngorski and they placed the speed tracker near the school zone which isn’t remotely near our vicinity. Today, I am respectfully asking for another important layer of protection: the installation of an “Autism Child in Area” warning sign.

This sign is not asking for special treatment. It is asking for awareness.

Just as we place school zone signs, pedestrian crossings, and “Children at Play” signs to encourage drivers to slow down, an autism warning sign reminds motorists that there may be a child nearby who may not recognize danger, may not respond when called, and may unexpectedly enter the roadway.

If this sign causes even one driver to slow down, look twice, or pay a little more attention, it could prevent a tragedy.

As a parent, I cannot eliminate my son’s autism or prevent every instance of wandering despite constant supervision. But as a community, we can take reasonable, compassionate steps that improve safety for everyone.

Today, I am asking you to partner with families like mine. I respectfully request the city’s approval to install an “Autism Child in Area” sign in our neighborhood. It is a simple measure with the potential to save a child’s life.

I hope none of us ever have to stand before the city council wishing we had taken one simple step that could have prevented a tragedy. Today, I’m asking you to help us take that step before it’s too late

Thank you for your time, your compassion, and your consideration. I hope you will stand with my family and help make our neighborhood a safer place for my son and for every child who calls our community home.