When Safety Means Constant Vigilance | Toronto News

Toronto News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Aug 3, 2026 · 1m

When an 11-year-old autistic boy named Parker vanished and was later found dead, it sent shockwaves through families living with the daily terror of elopement — when autistic children wander off. Parents describe exhausting, often extreme measures like alarms, locks, and even duct tape to keep their kids safe, sometimes sleeping in shifts. Behind the behavior? Complex reasons — sensory overload, deep immersion in their own world — that leave parents feeling judged, not understood. While calls grow for nationwide alert systems, many families say they need immediate support, not just…