Autism advocates and people with special needs voiced concern Tuesday about an incident in Tacoma where a man was believed to have duct-taped his great grandson, who has autism.
“It was hard for me to see this person being restrained like that,” said Ivanova Smith, who has autism. “It was shocking to me. It made me feel sick inside and made me feel like the time people did that to me.”
An Amber Alert was issued Monday after students took video of the man restraining the 11-year-old boy on the ground across the street from DeLong Elementary School. The alert was canceled after the boy was found safe.
Advocates with The Arc of Washington State, an organization that works for people with disabilities, said the incident underscores the need for more resources for people with developmental disabilities.
There are more than 12,000 people with developmental disabilities in Washington state who qualify for services from the state but are not receiving any of them because of a lack of funding.
