Kevin and Avonte’s Law Empowers Community Agencies to Protect Children Who Wander

Updated on December 22, 2024

Nearly half of children diagnosed with autism wander away from safe areas, such as home and school. To address this, Kevin and Avonte’s Law was finally passed in 2018, a major milestone for the autism community. The law promised to create programs that deal with wandering, and to investigate tracking technology as a critical aspect of these programs. So now that we have it: What exactly does this law mean for caregivers?

Who Were Kevin and Avonte?

The law was named in honor of two young boys with autism who wandered and subsequently drowned in nearby bodies of water. A bill to create the law was initially proposed in 2014 after Avonte Oquendo, a 14-year-old with autism, drowned following elopement from his New York City school. Sadly, it failed to garner support until similar legislation was proposed commemorating Kevin Willis, a 9-year-old with autism, who drowned after jumping into Iowa’s Raccoon River in 2008. 

What Does this Law Do?

Kevin and Avonte’s Law, enacted in 2018 and reauthorized in 2022, provides grants to local agencies to prevent wandering and locate missing individuals with dementia or developmental disabilities, including autism. One key aspect of the law is to provide training and equipment that enables first responders to find wandering people quickly, before they get into a life-threatening situation. 

This help has never been more important. Sadly, there are increasingly frequent and dire cases of wandering deaths in the news. Within a single month and in a single US state, there were three cases of drowning of autistic children who wandered in Florida. On November 22, 2024, Auturo Angarita drowned in Kissimmee; and on November 26, Waylon Childs drowned in Ormond Beach, and Charlie Newton drowned in Volusia County. Similar incidents that very same month include  a five-year-old boy in Oregon, and a 59-year-old man with dementia in Michigan.

Kevin and Avonte’s Law prompts the community to help carry the burden of protecting the vulnerable population of autistic people, and enforces a faster safety response for children with autism who have gone missing. The law provides $2 million in yearly funding for law enforcement, schools, and other organizations to receive training to prevent and address the issue of wandering. The funding covers the development of wandering-related emergency protocols for school staff, early responders, and other professionals who work with autistic children. 

In addition, health care and other public agencies receive funding to help plan, design, and establish local programs that prevent a child with autism from wandering, and assist in locating missing children. This money will also go towards the development of wearable solutions, like those provided by AngelSense, and make them more widely available to families of children with autism. In fact, the AngelSense Assistive Technology is part of Kevin and Avonte’s Law initiatives. For instance, the Bergen County Sheriff’s office in New Jersey received funding to purchase AngelSense for local families in need. 

Some communities have implemented a wandering prevention program even without such funding. For example, the Coral Springs Police Department purchased AngelSense as part of an initiative to upgrade their Project Lifesaver efforts. 

Why Is this Law Needed?

For the growing population of children diagnosed with autism, this is an incredible step forward in improving quality of life and level of safety. It offers greater peace of mind to parents nervous about their child’s tendency to wander, and assurance that the community is doing what it can to prevent further tragedies. 

Research has narrowed the cause of wandering to goal-oriented versus non-goal-oriented, which means that they are typically running to something of interest or away from something that causes anxiety. Once these children become fixated on something, they often become so distracted that they race off, regardless of whether a caregiver is calling their name. Children with autism also have a reduced sense of danger, and are likely to venture near bodies of water or high traffic areas.

Kevin and Avonte’s Law allocates funding to a number of areas each year. Localities can apply for funding through the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) by checking the website to see when applications are being accepted, and then follow their instructions to submit the right information. Eligible agencies include law enforcement, public safety, and nonprofit organizations. 

If your community is selected, be sure to promote awareness among family members, friends, and neighbors. Advocate for your child by encouraging schools and other local organizations to participate in the valuable training that is being made accessible. 

Finally, learn more about how AngelSense Assistive Technology can help improve your child’s safety and well-being. It is up to all of us to protect this vulnerable population, and with your help, more people can be made aware of the benefits of Kevin and Avonte’s Law. As Doron Somer, the CEO of AngelSense, said: “Kevin and Avonte’s Law will help prevent tragedies of this kind from reoccurring. With life-saving technology, like AngelSense, in the hands of those who need it most, families will finally gain the peace of mind they so desperately need.”

Get peace of mind from AngelSense, the groundbreaking AI-based assistive technology designed to enhance safety and peace of mind for individuals with special needs and their families. Our solution ensures you stay connected with your loved ones, empowering a higher level of independence while maintaining safety. Learn more about how AngelSense can make a difference for your family.