TORONTO — When Jenny Tozer’s 18-year-old son with autism had been lacking for greater than two weeks, she began to arrange herself for the worst. Logan left their dwelling in Havelock, Ont.
TORONTO — When Jenny Tozer’s 18-year-old son with autism had been lacking for greater than two weeks, she began to arrange herself for the worst.
Logan left their dwelling in Havelock, Ont., in the midst of the evening, travelled 35 kilometres north by way of wooded areas and received misplaced making an attempt to get again dwelling, his mother stated.
He was ultimately present in an deserted constructing on the seventeenth day of his disappearance — “secure with solely three tick bites and an journey to inform,” Tozer stated — however the end result might have simply been tragic, she stated.
“(I used to be) making an attempt to determine how I used to be going to carry it collectively for all his siblings, as a result of they could not perceive why he wasn’t dwelling both, and so they weren’t sleeping,” Tozer stated Wednesday at a press convention.
“I wasn’t sleeping. It was type of chaotic. It was one thing nobody ought to should undergo and I am simply very, very fortunate that he got here dwelling alive.”
Tozer is now including her voice to others calling on the federal government to create a brand new sort of alert for weak individuals.
A provincial personal member’s invoice from New Democrat Monique Taylor would implement a system of alerts for weak individuals similar to kids with autism or seniors with dementia, much like Amber Alerts, however it’s stalled on the committee stage within the legislature.
She launched the invoice in March 2023 and at some point of public hearings was held a yr later, however the subsequent stage — wherein the legislative committee seems on the invoice clause by clause and considers amendments — has not but occurred.
“We’re right here right now to let the federal government know that we’ll do no matter it takes to make sure this passage, whether or not it is sharing the invoice with a member of the federal government — take the invoice, make it your personal, it does not matter,” Taylor stated Wednesday.
“This is not about me. It is really concerning the laws and ensuring that we get it handed.”
The invoice was impressed by the tales of Draven Graham, a boy with autism who drowned in 2022 after going lacking, and Shirley Love, a senior who died in December of that yr after leaving her dwelling not dressed for winter climate.
These households assist the invoice, as does the Ontario Autism Coalition.
“Simply attempt to envision how it will really feel to lose a liked one who, attributable to their incapacity or cognitive impairment, is unable to ask for assist, is unable to grasp security considerations and is commonly not going to have the ability to discover their means dwelling,” stated Kate Dudley-Logue, vice-president of the coalition.
“It is terrifying, and it is any caregiver’s worst nightmare. Within the autism group, all of us maintain our breaths and really feel this immense stress each time we hear tales like Logan’s, as a result of so many people have skilled it and know all too properly the very actual chance that their baby might not come dwelling.”
There are already numerous instruments used to seek out lacking individuals and attempt to assist maintain weak individuals out of hazard, Taylor stated, however this alert system could be a essential further layer.
Paul Calandra stated final yr when he was authorities home chief that he believed the invoice was flawed and he wished it to go to committee so it may very well be improved. The workplace of the present authorities home chief, Steve Clark, didn’t instantly reply to questions concerning the invoice.
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Nov. 6, 2024.
Allison Jones, The Canadian Press
