Search crews found the body of 11-year-old Mohamed Mohamed in a pond near his Eden Prairie home just hours after he was reported missing on Oct. 20. “His mother was upstairs getting dressed,” said community activist and “Autism Mom” Sheletta Brundidge, who visited with the family. “He was downstairs with his sister. He got out of the house and went straight to the water.”
Brundidge is the mother of four children, three of whom are on the autism spectrum. In response to Mohamed’s death, Brundidge is hosting her seventh “Spread Love with Locks” giveaway on Saturday, Nov. 2, in Eden Prairie.
According to the National Autism Association, half of kids diagnosed with autism will try to escape a safe environment. They are also 160 times more likely to die by drowning than other kids.
“It’s hard to identify if you haven’t faced it,” said WCCO's Chad Hartman. He and Brundidge share two commonalities. They both host their own shows on WCCO Radio and are parents to autistic children. Hartman’s son Quintin is autistic. “When he was younger, we had to worry about that (wandering).” I know several families who face this challenge of needing to be on point 24/7, 365 days a year,” Hartman adds. “Mohamed, Mohamed is gone. His family will never be the same. They’re going to beat themselves up endlessly when they should not. It can happen in the blink of any eye.”
Brundidge says she and other parents of autistic children must alter their routines and think about their children’s safety constantly. “The way my kitchen is set up, I’m facing the window, and I can’t see anyone while I’m washing dishes,” said Brundidge. “My son Daniel would have to hold me from behind. That’s the only way I could wash dishes or even cook to keep track of him. These kids are young and fast and crafty,” Brundidge explained. “By the time we get out of the tub and put clothes on, they have run and we don’t know what direction they have gone.”
To help parents protect their autistic children, Brundidge is hosting an interior combination life-saving lock giveaway. The locks require a six to 10-digit code on the inside of the doorknob and a key bypass for fire or safety hazards. To date, Brundidge has hosted seven “Spread Love with Locks” giveaways, resulting in 600 locks going to families. Amazon has donated 100 locks and Brundidge has purchased 400, with the remaining locks donated by the community. The locks cost about $30 to $40 each.
“You know, $40 may not mean a hill of beans to us, but for some, it’s a game changer,” Brundidge explained “It might mean they can’t put gas in their car, or they might not get their prescription or not be able to buy groceries. We don’t want finances to be a barrier for a child to be safe in their home.”
Anyone interested in donating locks can go here and click on the “donate a lock” icon on the homepage. They will be directed to Brundidge’s Amazon registry, where they can donate a lock to be given away.
“So far, I have talked to four mothers in just the past two months who have buried their children who have wandered away from their house and drowned. I do not want to make it five,” Brundidge said.
Spread Love with Locks
Saturday, Nov. 2, 10:00 a.m. to Noon
Fraser Autism Center
7615 Golden Triangle Drive, Suite A
Eden Prairie, MN
Along with the free lock giveaway, families will also enjoy an ice cream truck, balloon twists and face painting.