JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A psychologist says it’s common for children who have autism to gravitate toward water.
On Monday night, a missing 4-year-old boy who had been diagnosed with autism was found dead in a Jacksonville retention pond after he was reported missing. Just over a month ago, the same thing happened to a 5-year-old boy. Both children were nonverbal.
Danielle Sanchack, a psychologist, has a child who has autism.
“Based on my own personal experience with my daughter, who has autism, she adores water, and a day without swimming is not a good day for her,” Sanchack said.
She said children with autism find water to be an “overwhelming sensory experience.”
Jacksonville police said Gavin Douyon, who drowned in a pond Monday night on the Northside, was visiting from out of state. They said the boy wandered off while playing outside with family members.
The pond doesn’t have a fence. Sanchack said a fence could help detour children with autism away from the water, but that it isn’t a guarantee.
“I’ll speak from my daughter’s perspective. She doesn’t understand normal laws or boundaries as other children would. There’s a fence there, that probably means I shouldn’t go there. That process doesn’t happen for her,” Sanchack said. “A fence can maybe obscure the view of, or a fence could slow her down.”
To help prevent children with autism from wandering off, Sanchack suggests parents use special locks on doors, inform their neighbors and local police of their child’s diagnosis, use stickers on their shirts with contact information, and if on vacation, always have someone supervising.
Gavin was found a few hours after he was reported missing. Several neighbors immediately started helping with the search after learning of the boy’s disappearance.
“It was kind of nerve-wrenching because I have kids as well,” said Ricardo Davis, who lives in the neighborhood. “We were all concerned and hoping for the best.”
Neighbors and first responders filled the neighborhood looking for the boy.
“There was a lot of law enforcement, fire department, I would say more than 50, 60 people,” said Tomas Aviles, a resident.
Davis said the tragedy has him keeping a watchful eye on his 8-year-old.
“My prayers go out to the family,” he said.