09/01/2026
💚 Foundation Family Check-In 💚
Has your child ever had a serious elopement experience? What happened, what was the first thing you did, and what safety measures did you put in place afterward?
As parents of autistic and exceptional children, we know elopement is a possibility. Sometimes it looks like a child suddenly running from us at the store, the park, or another public place. But when a child leaves a home or building unnoticed and travels a significant distance, it brings an entirely different level of fear. We have seen stories of children who eloped being found safely, as well as situations that ended in heartbreaking tragedy.
This weekend, we experienced that fear firsthand.
Magnolia decided she wanted to visit her grandparents, who live in our neighborhood. Their house is less than two minutes away by car, but about a 10-minute walk. Without us knowing, Magnolia left our home and walked all the way to their house by herself.
My dad called us when she arrived. He gave her something to drink, and she was safely brought back home. We are incredibly grateful that she knew exactly where she was going and made it there safely—but this was still one of the scariest experiences we have ever had as parents.
We truly believed we had the proper precautions in place. However, Magnolia is getting older, her abilities are changing, and she can now do things she could not do before. This experience showed us that our safety plan also has to grow and change with her.
We immediately began adding more safety measures, including additional door locks and keypad locks, to reduce the risk of this happening again. I will share links in the comments to some of the items we are now using to help keep Magnolia and our other children safely inside our home.
Please share your experiences with us:
• Has your child ever eloped from home, school, or another building?
• What did you do first?
• What changes did you make afterward?
• What locks, alarms, tracking devices, or other precautions have worked for your family?
This is a judgment-free conversation. Elopement can happen incredibly quickly—even in loving, attentive homes. By sharing our experiences and resources, we may help another family recognize a risk, strengthen their safety plan, and protect their child. 💚
