Missing autistic boy found dead near home

Many parents of children with special needs felt a special kind of anxiety when news headlines first mentioned an Amber Alert for a missing 8-year-old with autism, even more so when those headlines changed to report the sad news that the boy had been found drowned in a pond near his home. Police are still investigating whether earlier reports of abduction could have been a factor, but any mom or dad of a child who wanders must be wondering whether their own little one could wind up in similar circumstances. A topic along these lines arose in the Parenting Special Needs forum a little over a year ago, and several readers contributed good suggestions. If this tragic story has you feeling anxious over your child's safety, read these posts and add your own thoughts and questions. ... More on autism