After the tragic death of a 6-year-old autistic boy: Advice on wandering and escaping

DUNDALK, Maryland – A family in Baltimore County is mourning the loss of their six-year-old son. Marcel Traore was autistic and could not speak.

Traore went missing on Friday morning and was found in Lynch Cove in Dundalk. He was later pronounced dead.

READ MORE: Missing 6-year-old boy with autism dies after being recovered from Lynch Cove

“It just breaks my heart,” said Shelly McLaughlin, program director of Pathfinders for Autism, an autism resource center based in Hunt Valley.

McLaughlin’s work includes advising police departments and other organizations on how to best communicate with people with developmental disabilities.

“Unfortunately, this is something that a lot of families experience, because when it comes to people with autism who wander or run away – and by running away I just mean they take off – 71 percent of the deaths are due to drowning,” McLaughlin explained.

According to police, Traore disappeared around 3 a.m. on Friday and was reunited with his family. Then, a few hours later, he disappeared again. Rescue workers found him in the water later that morning and doctors at a local hospital pronounced him dead.

McLaughlin advises parents and all adults responsible for an autistic child to call 911 first if their child goes missing and not to be afraid.

“As parents – and I used to do this – we think, ‘I’m going to look myself. I know the different places they go, I have a good idea…'” McLauhglin said. “But as we’re looking, the search radius expands from here to there. So I ask all parents, the moment they realize their child is missing, to call 911, because no agency is ever going to be upset if they call back and say, ‘It’s OK, we found him.'”

Second, McLaughlin advises, take swimming lessons. Treading water, dog paddling – it can be life-saving.

“If your child is constantly running away, it’s really important that everyone at school knows about it. Anyone who could potentially come into contact with your child,” McLauhglin added.

McLaughlin says it’s also helpful to take a photo of your child every morning — just in case.

For Parents – Pathfinders provides a safety kit with helpful documents, including child loss alert forms, caregiver checklists, and resources to reduce the risk of child loss.

Click here to view Pathfinder Safety Kits.

The organization’s website offers additional resources, including a webinar titled “When They Wander or Run Away,” resources and strategies for wandering and elopement,
and more security resources.