Calgary child's death spotlights growing worries over autistic kids who wander

The recent death of Parker, an 11-year-old non-verbal autistic child who vanished from a Calgary care facility, has resonated deeply with families coping with frequent elopement. Parents such as Nada Kader, whose seven-year-old son Omar constantly tries to flee the house, describe living in perpetual vigilance, employing locks, alarms and even duct tape. Research published in Pediatrics suggests nearly 50% of autistic children have tried to run away at least once after age four.

In response, Premier Danielle Smith said the province is reviewing a missing-children alert system. Advocates also point to the province’s Family Support for Children with Disabilities program, which currently has a 20,000-person waitlist and slow case-worker assignments, as a critical gap in support.