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Son with Autism Left in Van for Over an Hour
29 Jul
Summary
- Autistic son was left alone in a van for over an hour.
- First responders found the son by chance in the parking garage.
- The caregiver was fired, and the organization reported the incident.
A father is sharing his distress after his adult son, who has autism, was left alone in a van for more than an hour in a Columbia, Maryland parking garage on Thursday, July 23.
Bill Shafley learned of the incident when Howard County Police contacted him. First responders, present for an unrelated reason, noticed his son in the van and were able to rescue him. The son is nonverbal, complicating initial communication efforts.
The caregiver was employed by Richcroft, an organization that offers residential and personal care services. Richcroft confirmed the caregiver's termination and reported the incident to the state, with regulatory authorities now investigating. The organization stated this event is inconsistent with their standards of care.
Shafley hopes this experience will spark statewide conversations about improving oversight, technology use, and consequences for such failures in care to prevent future incidents.
