When Sheletta Brundidge, known as the autism mom and founder of ShelettaMakesADifference.org, heard a St. Paul non-verbal teen ran from home on Friday, June 26, she got in her car.
“It was a stormy day, and I had police officers on the phone who were looking for him,” Brundidge recalls. “They had heat-seeking drones up in the air.”
On Sunday, June 28, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension reported the teen was located and safe. It was a happy ending. But Brundidge knows that’s not always the case when an autistic child or teen wanders.
Brundidge is widely known for her work in autism education and activism. Through her nonprofit, she provides free interior combination safety locks to families with autistic children. After the recent scare, Brundidge has decided to host one of her many lock giveaway events on Saturday, July 11th in St. Paul to give away free locks to parents and caregivers of autistic children. Brundidge knows how critical these locks are.
“My youngest, Daniel, was a wanderer,” Brundidge recalled. “I was not able to pee or bathe with the door closed for 3 years because he would always try to dart out of the house.”
For parents of autistic children, the danger is amplified because kids with autism are 160 times more likely to drown than any other group. Brundidge said it’s not as easy as just teaching them to swim.
“If they can’t learn their name and they can’t follow simple commands, it’s almost impossible to teach some of them to swim. And they’re drawn to water.”
Brundige said this time of year is particularly concerning.
“We call this the drowning season. Everything is out of whack, and kids are all over the place. When that overstimulation happens, routine changes, schedules shift, and they get extra excited. The next thing you know, they dart out of the house.”
When Brundidge was in the thick of it with her son Daniel, she tried every type of lock she could find.
“Combinations, chains, gates, chirps on the doors. But as he got older, he was able to get through all that stuff.”
That’s when Brundidge picked up an interior combination door lock, available on Amazon, Walmart, and other online retailers for $40 to $50. Each lock is programmed with a 6 to 10-digit code.
“Let me tell you, it reprogrammed his mind,” Brundidge explained. “One or two weeks of trying to get out of the house, and he stopped. He no longer wanders.”
Brundidge’s free lock giveaway event in St. Paul on July 11th is an opportunity to get more interior combination locks into the hands of parents of autistic children.
“For some, the cost is a barrier,” Brundidge said. By partnering with organizations, Brundidge and her nonprofit ShelettaMakesADifference.org will have 100 free combination interior locks to give away to local families.
Not only will parents get locks, but they’ll get peace of mind.
The lock giveaway on Saturday, July 11, is hosted by ShelettaMakesADifference.org and is happening from 10 a.m. to noon at the Hallie Q Brown Center at 270 N Kent St. in St. Paul. There will also be ice cream, face painting, and balloon animals for kids attending the event.
