A missing autistic 10-year-old has been found dead.
The community of Waldorf, Maryland, was left heartbroken after the tragic news of the death of Maddelynn Wallace, a 10-year-old girl with autism who went missing on April 15th. Maddelynn, who was non-verbal, was last seen at around 5:30 p.m. near her home in Brandywine’s Malcolm area.
A massive search effort, involving volunteers and law enforcement personnel, was immediately launched, but unfortunately, it ended in despair when her body was discovered the next day in a deep water-filled quarry.
The Charles County Sheriff’s Office worked tirelessly, in coordination with several search teams and law enforcement agencies, to locate the missing girl. Investigators and search teams followed evidence leading them to a heavily wooded area with many quarries nearby. Dive crews found Maddelynn’s body inside a hole filled with water about a mile from where she was last seen.
The County Medical Examiner performed an autopsy on the body, confirming that the body was that of Maddelynn and determining that the girl died from drowning.
The tragic news of Maddelynn’s death has left the community mourning her loss. The sheriff’s office expressed their condolences to Maddelynn’s family, and the investigation is ongoing, though the police have not provided any additional details.
According to studies, children with autism have a higher risk of drowning than the general pediatric population, with a likelihood 160 times higher. This can be attributed to the common autistic behavior of wandering, and their attraction to water. Swimming classes should be a top priority for children with autism as soon as they are diagnosed, before any behavioral, speech, or occupational therapy. Swimming is a crucial survival skill for children with autism, as water-related incidents too often lead to tragedies.
The community has come together in grieving the death of Maddelynn, but also in creating awareness of the dangers faced by children with autism and the steps that can be taken to keep them safe.
