ORLANDO, Fla. — Anyone with children living on the autism spectrum knows how challenging it is to keep track of their loved ones.

What You Need To Know

  • The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office is turning to tech to save lives

  • A company called AngelSense gave away devices and subscriptions to five parents who have autistic children

  • The GPS trackers use both satellite and WiFi technology to track autistic children at all times

Due to several drownings and near drownings last year, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office is turning to tech to try and save lives.

Law enforcement met with families with autistic children Friday to provide them with a tool that may prevent life-threatening situations in the future.

Sheriff Mike Chitwood met with five parents to provide them a subscription to a company called AngelSense.

The company produces GPS trackers for those with autism and other children who need to be monitored at all times.

The tracker connects with a satellite and relays the information back through WiFi.

AngelSense’s Regional Vice President, Robert Torgusen, was on hand to explain the technology to parents.

“It’s a wearable device, with a fabric sleeve, you put the pin in, through it. And it goes through the pants pocket, and a magnetic key goes on it, so it’s kind of in the pocket. And the child can’t remove it,” said Torgusen.

Parents say that autistic children will often try to remove things from their pockets.

The devices have numerous features, including the ability to communicate with the child directly by voice.

“You can call the child. The phone will ring. It will auto pick up,” Torgusen said. “You can talk to the child. The child is non-verbal. You can talk to people that surround him. Like, ‘Hey, this is my son.’”

Lisa Strat of Port Orange was invited by the sheriff’s office to receive a free device and subscription for a year.

She knows what life’s like watching an autistic child 24/7. 

Her 9-year-old grandson Aiden recently slipped out her Volusia County home and panic set in.

“It’s really scary. You lose your breath at the first sight not knowing where he is,” said Strat.

Turns out the young boy was a few blocks away wearing six pairs of socks. 

Aiden is her grandson and the boy’s mother and father are not in his life. Strat is his guardian and knows danger is everywhere.

For her, it’s a game changer watching her autistic grandson full time.

“Yeah, I’m going to sleep a lot better. Knowing he’s in the house. Knowing he’s not in someone’s yard. Or knocking on a door, trespassing. You know, danger can happen,” said Strat.

It was a life-saving rescue of a 5-year-old autistic boy nearly drowning in Deltona, and other drownings last year, that motivated law enforcement in Volusia to try and help. 

AngelSense says it costs a little over $500 a year to connect a child with the device.