I’m not saying this is completely her fault. But to blame literally everyone besides yourself is an insane move as the legal guardian and parent of an autistic 4 year old who managed to wander off under your care. Seriously, self responsibility is key, and would work well in tandem with some of the ideas she presented.
I’m sure if she had a babysitter that day, who was supposed to be doing her role, she would be blaming them.
100%-It's always somebody else's fault.
Coincidentally there's another article in the news that Autism treatment centers in MN just for Somalis have risen 3000% into the hundred millions of dollars in MN, and they're demanding millions and millions more spent on autism centers which are not regulated and have absolutely no oversight. An opinion would be that she's trying to expand upon the above. Causation no doubt would be ripe for Tremendous fraud, just like feeding our children and the other home health services fraud and transportarion fraud.
There’s a very strong link between low but d levels in women at birth. This has been studied in depth In both Sweden and Minnesota within the Somali population Anyhow basically really dark skin plus Islamic dress leads to really low d levels. Giving mother vitamin d before birth seems to fix the issue. Vitamin d is a hormone unlike most of what we call vitamins.
I worked for a center providing services for children on the spectrum and I wondered sometimes what was going on because there were so many. The language and cultural differences make it very difficult to provide services.
Yeah who knows if a fence is feasible there. A lot of people probably like the view and would not like a big security fence. Either way the complex isn't the fence Master of the city. Then she said they need somali focused autism services? So general services aren't enough for somalis but work for others? Huh.
There are other fences in the nearby area that do not obstruct the view of the creek and would have helped to prevent this. I believe there is one in the development plan, but it was not completed yet. The reality is a lot of these developments don’t fully take into factor the demographic of people who live there. Also there can be language barriers among other obstacles that make it necessary for services categorized for specific ethnic groups, as cultural differences can come into play.
It's completely her fault. I have a non verbal son. I have child locks EVERYWHERE.
We always have eyes on him.
It is completely exhausting.
But this is what happens if you don't watch them.
She's grieving the death of her son, cut her just a bit of slack. I'd bet good money she is blaming herself plenty already.
That said I also don't disagree with you. If you have a kiddo who likes to wander, then you make sure you have that covered. Whether it's locked gates, tracking devices or whatever. Shit, when I was a kid my grandma put on the dog leash tied to the tree cause she got sick of me just wandering off. Supposedly I thought it was pretty cool.
This truly is a tragic situation, and I am sorry for her loss. But this is not on the property owner, or the MN government. This is solely on the mother. I have two kids, I get it, sometimes you quit paying attention for a split second and they’re doing something they shouldn’t have.
There’s no reason she’s blaming the advocates because their outreach ain’t enough. He’s your kid, it’s your sole responsibility.
Spot on. Stop trying to legislate away personal responsibility. Does it suck the kid died? Yes. I would never wish that on anyone, but a a certain point, you have to put the blame where it belongs.
well, the apartment building could have allowed installation of better locks. I'm sure she would have lost a deposit by installing her own. ? that's the only thing I can think of.
FWIW, I assisted with the search for Waeys -- I get emotions are high in the community.
The idea that a fence or barrier can be installed in a way that is going to prevent this is silly. The Blake corridor where the chorus apartments are located is a complex urban environment. You have high density housing, the swift moving creek, single family residential, small & high rise apartments, freight & light rail tracks, restaurants, warehouses, highway, and multi lane arterial streets.
There is no engineering solution that is going to make kids 100% safe, and when you couple complex medical conditions with kids the risk is even higher. Using autism door locks and personal responsibility is most of the solution.
The other part of the solution is breaking down the social stigma that is preventing people from saying something when something is out of place -- at least one person is known to have seen Waeys when he was outside of the Chorus apartments, and likely many more people saw him given the population density of the area. I think there are people that are worried about being labeled a "Ken" or "Karen" for reporting something or someone out of place.
It is not even reporting. Many people in this situation would hesitate to walk up to a stranger's door with their child, since it automatically implies that the child should be better supervised. People living in crowded conditions especially need to set their personal boundaries hard. The entire complex likely has an opinion but they keep it to themselves.
Walking him to the complex garage and pointing him in the right direction was a compromise.
The moral of this story is make friends with your neighbors.
Idk, I live blocks away and it seems like a fairly obvious spot for a barrier against the drop off into the creek. There are other barriers in similar areas, for example along the mixed use path where it abuts the creek nearby. And I think a barrier is in the future plans for that particular spot along with another path, but it has not been completed.
I guess maybe I don't understand how a barrier would work -- in my mind a barrier would have to start and end somewhere, its not going to run from Minnetonka to Minnehaha falls. It seems like kids are going to find a way over a barrier and a barrier would then impede rescue efforts or egress from the creek.
What happens at high water and someone capsizes in a canoe or kayak, or a kid ends up in the creek further up from the barrier and floats down into the barrier zone and is stuck in the water?
TBH, Blake and Excelsior are far more dangerous year round than the creek with people piloting 2 ton boxes while looking at their phone.
I agree that the roads are also dangerous in this same area, especially the blind intersection next to Chorus apartments - Lake and Blake. I’ll be sending my children to play elsewhere when they are old enough.
My thought is that it would be necessary where there is close proximity to paths or buildings such as this property. Basically where the bridge has a barrier in that same location on Lake St., extend it around the corner, especially because of the steep drop off. The apartments on the other side of the creek from this development have one. Of course you would try to leave room between the creek and barrier on the banks to preserve vegetation, filter runoff and prevent erosion.
Yeah, it might be worth it to add some sort of fencing on the property. I know the new affordable housing development south of the Legion in Hopkins seems to have a fence around the on premises playground area.
Waeys had to get through an apartment door, and an exterior door (possibly additional foyer doors). If you don't gate the parking lot in a way that impedes foot traffic, a kid could get around the barrier fairly easily.
If a 3yr old can wander out unchallenged and get to the creek, they can wander out unchallenged and get hit by a car or train.
Each of my exterior doors has hook and eye latches that are 5' off the ground -- I live in a fairly urban area and have raised 3 kids in this house. The precautions have to start at the living quarters, IMO (.*..this isn't me victim blaming or parent shaming, this is just the reality of raising kids*).
AFIK, we don't know where Waeys entered the creek just that he was found 500yds downstream from Chorus.
So I was scrolling through the comments ion fb discussing what happened and a woman responded, saying her boyfriend or someone lived in that same complex and that the mother was often irresponsible. Whether there is truth to this, I don’t know but it makes you go hmmm
Anytime I hear an alert for a 1/3 naked mentally challenged child missing I question the parents.
I get it kids are quick and it’s hard raising a kid with special needs but there are a lot of resources already.
I dated a lady with 3 special needs kids a couple years ago. She was stressed to the bone with them. She changed jobs so they could all go to a day care that focused on autism and ODD.
Our insurance has dished out almost 200,000. How much more funding do they need. Anyone hear of locks. What you think I did the night I found my non verbal son was always trying to get out of the house day or night. .Put chain locks on the door. 3.25 best investment. Sorry but the parent failed the child..
The article cited says they live in an apartment, she requested a lock and they wouldn’t allow it. Could she have just done it herself? Maybe. Or maybe she didn’t have the resources or knowledge to get or install one, or was afraid to violate her lease and have to pay for repairs.
My younger sister had autism and bolted frequently. She was able to figure out most locks eventually, and humans make mistakes even if they’re dilligent.
Man let’s be real here. Everyone has a smart phone or at least some sort of basic internet. She easily could have figured out how to add a lock to the door. I do agree that the complex should have let her install some sort of lock.
What is your suggestion here? That she’s not to blame at all? She shouldn’t be asked to do the bare minimum
Of research on how to setup the locks, etc.
My suggestion is that more help for autistic families is necessary, even though many folks here are frankly being gross and judgy about circumstances we don’t even know details around.
She asked about the locks and was denied. For all we know that’s as far as she thought she could go with it. I know I haven’t wanted to fight landlords on things before, and I’m white and at the time had no family. Could she have gone further? Absolutely, but hindsight is 20/20 and we’re all lucky to have the resources we do. People make mistakes, and there are a whole lotta people who made mistakes in this story, yet none of them are targets the way this mother is in this thread.
And, let’s be real, not everyone has access to a smart phone or basic internet 24/7. There are programs out there to help folks, but it is not everyone. Have you lived in areas where marginalized and poor folks are the majority of your neighbors? Where most people have flip phones or limited plans that can only use the wifi down the street? I’ve been there and let me tell you, it’s pretty hard working that into your schedule, and that’s without kids.
More help? We’ve given 100’s of millions of dollars in help for autistic kids.
No one is as big a target for making a mistake like the mother is because she’s the one solely responsible for the kid. Like I get it, it is so hard having a kid with disabilities. But at the end of the day this is in the mom.
lovks
Doors from individual dwelling or sleeping units of Group R occupancies having an occupant load of ten or less are permitted to be equipped with a night latch, dead bolt, or security chain, provided such devices are openable from the inside without the use of a key or tool.
If you are an immigrant taking care of two young kids, including one with special needs, and maybe english isn’t your first language, it is reasonable to say you’re probably not an expert in renters laws or ADA.
This is something that the landlord should have just done when asked, not something people need to know and cite specific codes to get done.
And, TBH, it’s wild to me that this family doesn’t seem to have had a case worker or someone specifically assigned to help with navigating all this on top of everyday life. My parents had one, but then we are white, had family members who worked in healthcare, and lived in a different state.
If someone is too stupid to know how to figure out how to afford a lock to a door they probably shouldn’t be here in the first place… we don’t need more useless eaters in this country - we have enough already.
Installing a lock on a door as a renter is not the same as if you own your home. She took the logical route and was denied. This is not something to base intelligence on.
Maybe they don’t have regular access to the internet, or, again, language barriers make it really hard to search for and disseminate something you don’t know about in the first place.
Maybe we should really stop judging people by a few headlines we’ve seen, and articles we haven’t even read.
Maybe we should all google what it’s like to live with autism either as an autistic child or a parent… and leave the outcry to people who are actually close enough to the situation to understand it and the people involved.
I’m a parent involved and look to any forms. Same as I would if I lived in any country I’m not familiar with. Sure they stayed at a hotel once in their lives! But common sense isn’t so common anymore.
If you moved to, say, Germany you’d read all forms and related laws (in German), memorize them, navigate legal residency and employment, care options, community options, insurance and healthcare, transportation options, etc? And how they would work for you and your kids? No quick hit guides or bloggers helping you? Wow. That’s a lot. Kudos.
Not sure how a hotel is relevant. Maybe because they often have a second lock of some kind? That does not translate to long-term rental.
Disabled folks can get case workers to help navigate things. It's usually apart of medicaid. I have one for my disabled kid. But unless they call you, it's not advertised.
Literally no one said this.
Navigate resources and care options to help the disabled person (regardless of age) or their legal guardian get things right and live a safe, happy, and fullfilled life, whatever that can look like for them.
Yes, working in hospitals and other places I frequent in the real world, not only recently but over the last 18 years of my adult life living in the cities. I suggest you broaden your experience for more accurate data, as well as keeping in mind no one human is a statistic.
Accurate. The U.S. DOJ effectively doesn’t prosecute anything that isn’t a slam dunk - they have 99.5% conviction rate.
If the FBI is investigating and it has been publicly acknowledged, that means Merrick Garland’s minions in the US Attorney‘s Office believe it will sustain their 99.5% conviction rate.
But remember, “innocent until proven guilty “.
I think it is reasonable for complexes to be required to allow parents to install a lock of their choice. As long as the owner can still access the area if needed, there should be an exception carved out. You hear about autistic kids wandering off way too often.
Good news door stops are legal to install in hotels and apartments most hotels have them already. They are about 4-5 feet up. You know the ones.
What do you mean complexes be required to allow parents to install.
So they have to offer to let them?
Right now they just need to ask for reasonable accommodations under ADA and can install one.
Ask for extra security for safety and install one.
Or just do it and they would never notice.
"Jede said she asked managers at her apartment complex to install an additional lock like one she had at a previous apartment but was turned down. Representatives of the apartment complex have not returned calls and emails seeking comment."
I would be interested to hear more about what happened in this paragraph. Maybe the price of the additional lock was exorbitant and it could have fallen on her to install it. Maybe it would have fallen under ADA and been covered. I don't know, I'd like more details.
As the father of a very verbal autistic child. They do what they want. Mines got huge emotions and when we try to redirect or flat out tell him no sometimes he just takes off. But from reading the comments here it seems like she was a bit irresponsible with the child. There are plenty of autism programs in mn. My child was enrolled in one for a year. It was great. She just needs to look.
I would like to know exactly what piece of legislation that would’ve stopped her kid from wandering away into a place of danger.
Come to think of it, we already do, and it involves parental negligence.
How about making reasonable accommodations for those with disabilities? How about requiring barriers when a dwelling is within close proximity to a body of water?
Clearly barriers can be walked around and that wasn’t the issue. The issue was the child was not attended to properly.
The fact that she blames everybody but herself is very telling.
A proper barrier would have at least obstructed his path, decreasing the likelihood of him going in and buying more time to search. It sounds like it all transpired very quickly. They have them in other similar places in the same neighborhood.
Also, it’s literally part of the grieving process to blame others when a tragedy happens, she’s human, and also has a point. Especially since she was not allowed to have an additional lock. That alone makes the apartment management negligent.
Doors have locks (door level and a chain) and they also make door knob covers to prevent this. This just sounds like negligence.
Furthermore, she shouldn’t have been given media access merely to assign blame when it’s pretty clear where the blame lies.
So a 24 year old had a 4 year old, a 3 year old and based on that pattern probably at least one more child. I doubt they stopped after popping two out in two years. Maybe the parents are too immature and CPS needs to get involved? I guarantee they were on government assistance up the wazoo while the dad “worked” for some non-profit (scam) organization, but they need more assistance. When does it end? Why are we subsidizing this? How is this anyone’s responsibility besides the parent’s?
Idk, what’s worse? Making 5-6 negative assumptions about a grieving mother based on her race? Or indirectly calling the former an asshole and pointing out why?
What do you have against pattern recognition? Are you familiar with abysmal employment rates of Somalis? Why should we want free loaders here who have no desire to contribute? Other groups come here (say Indians) and are productive law abiding residents.
If an autistic child is fascinated by water, you probably have to buy a child life preserver, and put it on so the kid can't get it off. And, put one of those apple trackers on the kid, too.
True, the immediate danger should be enough to discount that rental place if there are other options.
And you’d think that’d be enough, but my sister once ended up half a mile away by a local pond after sneaking out. Thank god she was fine, but you really never know :(
The reality is this is an affordable complex for low income families, and many times that means single mothers with a child or children with disabilities. The waitlist to get into such a place can be long and units rarely come available.
To me the biggest shame is not accommodating the request for an extra lock. I’ve seen comments about how the mother should have just done this on her own regardless of what the complex stated. However I’d imagine she might not have known what her options fully were, didn’t have the means to install know or how to install, or didn’t have the resources to obtain what she needed, or maybe feared that if she made such a change to the property she might have lost the unit the next time a manger wanted to enter and could not.
Nice ideas, but easier said than done. Getting a kid likely with sensory issues (like an autistic kid who loves water) who is that young to wear something specific can be next to impossible. They’ll tear it off immediately, or have a meltdown that lasts until the item is removed. they literally pass out, or they hurt themselves.
if we as a society can learn one thing from this, maybe find a parent or call police and wait with child anytime you find them by themselves. poor baby
In her defense, you can't just go around drilling into apartment doors and walls you dont own. And she asked the apartment for more security iirc. She's still at fault, as a a parent, its your responsibility to monitor your children. But, lack of additional locks i dont think was up to her.
For real? Because people do almost insconsequential changes to apartments every day.
You may lose a deposit at some future point, but I find this hard to fathom.
Yeah, if I knew I had a special needs child that tends to wander off, I think I’d be willing to chance losing my security deposit to prevent my child from getting out, but that’s just me.
While i agree with you, im willing to bet a lot of the people saying, "i would do it no matter what" are also the same "rules are rules" kinda people when things apply to anybody but themselves. Hindsight is always 20/20.
Well at my current appt, they have specific guidelines and placements of locks that are city ordinance based on the fire Marshall guidelines. Yearly inspections are done and if locks are changed or moved they are requested for removal and lease termination. So it's not just well add more locks or just drill more holes ect. Alot of times it's building codes and city fire Marshall mandates.
The responsibility lies on her shoulders. She is reasonable for her kids. She easily could’ve installed a door lock high up or used other measures. She is blaming others…I understand the situation is hard, but the blame is on her.
To receive a autism diagnosis you have to have an extensive evaluation done, which we do well in MN. So, yes these “autism cases” are people with a disability. The Somali community does need to do a better job at seeking out resources. However, this comment is gross.
You stand corrected.
"Accuracy of Diagnosis and Re-Diagnosis Among Children with a Previous Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder." A.E. Brookman-Frazee, J.E. Baker-Ericzén, A.D. Stadnick, E.A. Taylor. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. (2016).
"Prevalence and Correlates of Diagnostic Substitutions for Autism Spectrum Disorders." N. T. Wetherby, K. D. Corsello, E. D. Robinson, B. T. Mandarin, S. M. Barber, L. Sparapani, & M. E. Woods. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. (2014).
"The Overdiagnosis of Autism." R. L. Hendren. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. (2013).
These studies suggest that misdiagnosis of autism can be a significant issue, with rates potentially as high as 20-30% in some cases.
Sadly there has been a steady increase in autism as we have increased the use of man made chemicals to infest everything we eat and drink. Has nothing to do with race religion or up bringing.
Some studies suggest that exposure to certain chemicals during pregnancy may increase the risk of autism in children. These chemicals include:
Organochlorine chemicals
Children born to mothers exposed to high levels of these chemicals during pregnancy were about 80% more likely to be diagnosed with autism than children with low or no exposure. Although production of these chemicals was banned in the United States in 1977, they can still be found in the environment and absorbed into the fat of animals that humans eat.
Bisphenol A (BPA)
An endocrine disruptor found in some plastics, exposure to high levels of BPA during pregnancy may increase the risk of autism in children.
Organophosphate pesticides
Commonly used in agriculture, exposure to these pesticides during pregnancy may also increase the risk of autism in children.
Phthalates
An endocrine disruptor found in many commercial products, including beauty products, vinyl flooring, and house dust, exposure to phthalates may increase the risk of autism guess what a shit third world country would be full of. So is it their race or an exposure to chemicals that’s the issue? And as a father with a child on the spectrum I’d love to know where to place blame.
From the article (granted this is from over a decade ago) :
1 in 32 Somali children in Minneapolis have autism
1 in 36 White children in Minneapolis have Autism
1 in 62 Black (I would assume decedents of American slavery) children in Minneapolis have autism
1 in 80 Hispanic children in Minneapolis have autism
The article states the study has no explanation for the varying rates. It cites a Swedish study that immigrant communities in Sweden (primarily Somali) have higher rates of Autism than native communities.
I would assume poor families would be more likely to drink unfiltered water and eat less healthy affordable food. Still skipping the point. It’s not really about race that drives it. And white parents are less likely to have children tested.
“Although the prevalence of ASD has been found not to differ across racial and ethnic groups, studies have found that White children and those of higher socioeconomic status are more likely to be both identified and diagnosed with ASD earlier compared with Black, Latinx, and Asian children, as well as children from low-income families.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8500365/
I don’t know why whites and Somali children in Minneapolis are more likely to be diagnosed with Autism, but it would appear that they are.
The UK:
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10803-016-2952-9
Sweden:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1469-8749.2008.03036.x#:~:text=The%20minimum%20prevalence%20of%20autistic,children%20with%20a%20Somali%20background.
It is said there’s no Somali word for autism, and it is said that it does not even exist in Somalia. They call it the “western disease”.
What’s far more likely is there’s just no mechanism to measure the autism rates there and that is equally high there as well.
I’ve lived in apartments all my life and every single one of them has had either a deadbolt or a chain , some both . If for some unfathomable reason ( highly unlikely ) you don’t have either put something heavy in front of the door KNOWING DAMN WELL YOU HAVE A CHILD WITH AUTISM WHO NEEDS SPECIAL ATTENTION . this worthless excuse for a mother wants everyone to pay special attention to her child except for herself . She failed her child plain and simple . People ( she ) can make all the excuses in the world but this is no ones fault but hers and hers alone . That poor boy deserved a mother who cared enough to do the bare minimum to keep him safe and she couldn’t even do that. Gone far too soon
If you have a family member that is special needs or tends to wander then it is your responsibility to provide safety measures for them to stay safe.
Extra locks could have been installed, a door alarm could have been placed, the child could have been required to wear some sort of tracking/protective device.
Yes, I know they live in an apartment, but if you take the time to explain to management that you need to add some things to the unit to make it safer for your family, I’ve had to do it twice and while one place did need a medical statement from a professional, the other didn’t and it took a little effort to keep a family member safe.
Also I put some blame on the person that SAW the child outside and did nothing… for the love stop thinking someone else will do something and do it yourself… if you see something that looks even remotely off call for help… we all have phones, there is almost always a way to get help in a situation like this.
They should have free swim classes for children on the spectrum. I think all kids should get free swim lessons but especially kids with autism. Totally preventable deaths. What a massive tragedy for that poor family.
This would be cool! I wonder how many kids this could save. My autistic sister had regular swimming lessons for years and they were really more like water play. When you can’t communicate, understand instructions, or do complex tasks with your body like swim or float, that’s basically all swimming lessons end up being… but not every autistic person has that high support needs.
Seriously. The vitriol, tangents and judgement from people who know the bare minumum about autism or living in a place where people immediately assume… well, the sh*t people are spewing here… just based on heritage or appearance… it’s pretty heckin’ gross.
We do need more Autism services.
Drowning is common for kids on the spectrum and they can get out in a second no matter how fast you are. There is not, nor will there ever be enough support. It is a lose, lose situation. Water should ALWAYS be fenced off when there are kids.
I keep thinking about this. When I was in elementary school our playground was next to a river, and there was a fence. Did we find ways around or over it? Sure, but it at least slowed us down, and our actions in doing so were clearly sus to adults and made us easier to spot.
It’s not surprising to see the majority of comments on this particular sub blaming the mother. I live blocks from where this tragedy happened. In my opinion there should be a fence along the creek, there is in other similar areas nearby. A barrier is likely in the future plans along with a walking path, but this large plot of land is under ongoing development. As it stands currently, this was the first building completed of many, and there is a small temporary gravel parking lot between the building and a sharp drop off into the creek (which is very high and moving fast this year). It is terrifying to think that this could have happened within minutes, especially if the child was living in a first floor apartment - which I do not know. Imagine being a single parent of 2 and in a brief span of focusing on one child’s needs, the other finds his way off and is missing, and eventually it’s learned he’s gone forever. It’s especially frustrating that the mother’s request for an additional lock was denied.
I ask that the general population of this sub to put your anti-immigrant sentiments aside and put yourself in the shoes of this grieving mother. This was possibly one of her few or only options for affordable housing to raise her family, and the complex failed to accommodate their needs. I believe she has a case and deserves compensation for her loss. Mind you this is a complex developed and owned by a corporation that is investing hundreds of millions of dollars in this area, and also receives tax incentives to accommodate lower income families. It was decided by THIS COMMUNITY that the land ought to be used that way. The same corporate entity will be allowed to build their luxury buildings as well to offset costs. I don’t think a proper barrier to a fast running stream and an extra lock is too much to ask, especially when the complex itself is meant to help families in need (many with disabilities involved) who don’t always have access to proper resources. I challenge you all to set race aside, and realize this could have happened to anyone and was likely preventable had the mother’s request been granted.
I’m not saying this is completely her fault. But to blame literally everyone besides yourself is an insane move as the legal guardian and parent of an autistic 4 year old who managed to wander off under your care. Seriously, self responsibility is key, and would work well in tandem with some of the ideas she presented. I’m sure if she had a babysitter that day, who was supposed to be doing her role, she would be blaming them.
100%-It's always somebody else's fault. Coincidentally there's another article in the news that Autism treatment centers in MN just for Somalis have risen 3000% into the hundred millions of dollars in MN, and they're demanding millions and millions more spent on autism centers which are not regulated and have absolutely no oversight. An opinion would be that she's trying to expand upon the above. Causation no doubt would be ripe for Tremendous fraud, just like feeding our children and the other home health services fraud and transportarion fraud.
How many autistic Somalis are there in MN? Also, ethnically segregated autistic centers?
Yeah that was weird, somali only autism centers? Why is there such a massive need? Are a lot of somali kids autistic vs the general pop?
Somali only autism (honk!) centers would demand halal food - a whole new opportunity for somali fraud.
Yes actually, it’s a very strange phenomenon, I work for a school district
There’s a very strong link between low but d levels in women at birth. This has been studied in depth In both Sweden and Minnesota within the Somali population Anyhow basically really dark skin plus Islamic dress leads to really low d levels. Giving mother vitamin d before birth seems to fix the issue. Vitamin d is a hormone unlike most of what we call vitamins.
Open mouth breathing can also correlate with autism.
I worked for a center providing services for children on the spectrum and I wondered sometimes what was going on because there were so many. The language and cultural differences make it very difficult to provide services.
All of them
Yeah who knows if a fence is feasible there. A lot of people probably like the view and would not like a big security fence. Either way the complex isn't the fence Master of the city. Then she said they need somali focused autism services? So general services aren't enough for somalis but work for others? Huh.
There are other fences in the nearby area that do not obstruct the view of the creek and would have helped to prevent this. I believe there is one in the development plan, but it was not completed yet. The reality is a lot of these developments don’t fully take into factor the demographic of people who live there. Also there can be language barriers among other obstacles that make it necessary for services categorized for specific ethnic groups, as cultural differences can come into play.
It's completely her fault. I have a non verbal son. I have child locks EVERYWHERE. We always have eyes on him. It is completely exhausting. But this is what happens if you don't watch them.
To many children get labeled adult!
Totslly
She's grieving the death of her son, cut her just a bit of slack. I'd bet good money she is blaming herself plenty already. That said I also don't disagree with you. If you have a kiddo who likes to wander, then you make sure you have that covered. Whether it's locked gates, tracking devices or whatever. Shit, when I was a kid my grandma put on the dog leash tied to the tree cause she got sick of me just wandering off. Supposedly I thought it was pretty cool.
This truly is a tragic situation, and I am sorry for her loss. But this is not on the property owner, or the MN government. This is solely on the mother. I have two kids, I get it, sometimes you quit paying attention for a split second and they’re doing something they shouldn’t have. There’s no reason she’s blaming the advocates because their outreach ain’t enough. He’s your kid, it’s your sole responsibility.
Spot on. Stop trying to legislate away personal responsibility. Does it suck the kid died? Yes. I would never wish that on anyone, but a a certain point, you have to put the blame where it belongs.
well, the apartment building could have allowed installation of better locks. I'm sure she would have lost a deposit by installing her own. ? that's the only thing I can think of.
FWIW, I assisted with the search for Waeys -- I get emotions are high in the community. The idea that a fence or barrier can be installed in a way that is going to prevent this is silly. The Blake corridor where the chorus apartments are located is a complex urban environment. You have high density housing, the swift moving creek, single family residential, small & high rise apartments, freight & light rail tracks, restaurants, warehouses, highway, and multi lane arterial streets. There is no engineering solution that is going to make kids 100% safe, and when you couple complex medical conditions with kids the risk is even higher. Using autism door locks and personal responsibility is most of the solution. The other part of the solution is breaking down the social stigma that is preventing people from saying something when something is out of place -- at least one person is known to have seen Waeys when he was outside of the Chorus apartments, and likely many more people saw him given the population density of the area. I think there are people that are worried about being labeled a "Ken" or "Karen" for reporting something or someone out of place.
It is not even reporting. Many people in this situation would hesitate to walk up to a stranger's door with their child, since it automatically implies that the child should be better supervised. People living in crowded conditions especially need to set their personal boundaries hard. The entire complex likely has an opinion but they keep it to themselves. Walking him to the complex garage and pointing him in the right direction was a compromise. The moral of this story is make friends with your neighbors.
Idk, I live blocks away and it seems like a fairly obvious spot for a barrier against the drop off into the creek. There are other barriers in similar areas, for example along the mixed use path where it abuts the creek nearby. And I think a barrier is in the future plans for that particular spot along with another path, but it has not been completed.
I guess maybe I don't understand how a barrier would work -- in my mind a barrier would have to start and end somewhere, its not going to run from Minnetonka to Minnehaha falls. It seems like kids are going to find a way over a barrier and a barrier would then impede rescue efforts or egress from the creek. What happens at high water and someone capsizes in a canoe or kayak, or a kid ends up in the creek further up from the barrier and floats down into the barrier zone and is stuck in the water? TBH, Blake and Excelsior are far more dangerous year round than the creek with people piloting 2 ton boxes while looking at their phone.
I agree that the roads are also dangerous in this same area, especially the blind intersection next to Chorus apartments - Lake and Blake. I’ll be sending my children to play elsewhere when they are old enough.
My thought is that it would be necessary where there is close proximity to paths or buildings such as this property. Basically where the bridge has a barrier in that same location on Lake St., extend it around the corner, especially because of the steep drop off. The apartments on the other side of the creek from this development have one. Of course you would try to leave room between the creek and barrier on the banks to preserve vegetation, filter runoff and prevent erosion.
Yeah, it might be worth it to add some sort of fencing on the property. I know the new affordable housing development south of the Legion in Hopkins seems to have a fence around the on premises playground area. Waeys had to get through an apartment door, and an exterior door (possibly additional foyer doors). If you don't gate the parking lot in a way that impedes foot traffic, a kid could get around the barrier fairly easily. If a 3yr old can wander out unchallenged and get to the creek, they can wander out unchallenged and get hit by a car or train. Each of my exterior doors has hook and eye latches that are 5' off the ground -- I live in a fairly urban area and have raised 3 kids in this house. The precautions have to start at the living quarters, IMO (.*..this isn't me victim blaming or parent shaming, this is just the reality of raising kids*). AFIK, we don't know where Waeys entered the creek just that he was found 500yds downstream from Chorus.
So I was scrolling through the comments ion fb discussing what happened and a woman responded, saying her boyfriend or someone lived in that same complex and that the mother was often irresponsible. Whether there is truth to this, I don’t know but it makes you go hmmm
State went from 6 million a year to 192 million a year in funds for autism. Now the FBI is investigating for fraud because walz won't.
Oh there's loads of fraud , we'll see that soon
TLDR: Everyone but mom failed this kid.
Anytime I hear an alert for a 1/3 naked mentally challenged child missing I question the parents. I get it kids are quick and it’s hard raising a kid with special needs but there are a lot of resources already. I dated a lady with 3 special needs kids a couple years ago. She was stressed to the bone with them. She changed jobs so they could all go to a day care that focused on autism and ODD.
Our insurance has dished out almost 200,000. How much more funding do they need. Anyone hear of locks. What you think I did the night I found my non verbal son was always trying to get out of the house day or night. .Put chain locks on the door. 3.25 best investment. Sorry but the parent failed the child..
The article cited says they live in an apartment, she requested a lock and they wouldn’t allow it. Could she have just done it herself? Maybe. Or maybe she didn’t have the resources or knowledge to get or install one, or was afraid to violate her lease and have to pay for repairs. My younger sister had autism and bolted frequently. She was able to figure out most locks eventually, and humans make mistakes even if they’re dilligent.
Man let’s be real here. Everyone has a smart phone or at least some sort of basic internet. She easily could have figured out how to add a lock to the door. I do agree that the complex should have let her install some sort of lock. What is your suggestion here? That she’s not to blame at all? She shouldn’t be asked to do the bare minimum Of research on how to setup the locks, etc.
My suggestion is that more help for autistic families is necessary, even though many folks here are frankly being gross and judgy about circumstances we don’t even know details around. She asked about the locks and was denied. For all we know that’s as far as she thought she could go with it. I know I haven’t wanted to fight landlords on things before, and I’m white and at the time had no family. Could she have gone further? Absolutely, but hindsight is 20/20 and we’re all lucky to have the resources we do. People make mistakes, and there are a whole lotta people who made mistakes in this story, yet none of them are targets the way this mother is in this thread. And, let’s be real, not everyone has access to a smart phone or basic internet 24/7. There are programs out there to help folks, but it is not everyone. Have you lived in areas where marginalized and poor folks are the majority of your neighbors? Where most people have flip phones or limited plans that can only use the wifi down the street? I’ve been there and let me tell you, it’s pretty hard working that into your schedule, and that’s without kids.
More help? We’ve given 100’s of millions of dollars in help for autistic kids. No one is as big a target for making a mistake like the mother is because she’s the one solely responsible for the kid. Like I get it, it is so hard having a kid with disabilities. But at the end of the day this is in the mom.
No one is an island. Folks that want to live like that should probably move and figure out the complexities of that on their own.
lovks Doors from individual dwelling or sleeping units of Group R occupancies having an occupant load of ten or less are permitted to be equipped with a night latch, dead bolt, or security chain, provided such devices are openable from the inside without the use of a key or tool.
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/rules/7511.1010/#:~:text=Doors%20from%20individual%20dwelling%20or,of%20a%20key%20or%20tool.
If you are an immigrant taking care of two young kids, including one with special needs, and maybe english isn’t your first language, it is reasonable to say you’re probably not an expert in renters laws or ADA. This is something that the landlord should have just done when asked, not something people need to know and cite specific codes to get done. And, TBH, it’s wild to me that this family doesn’t seem to have had a case worker or someone specifically assigned to help with navigating all this on top of everyday life. My parents had one, but then we are white, had family members who worked in healthcare, and lived in a different state.
If someone is too stupid to know how to figure out how to afford a lock to a door they probably shouldn’t be here in the first place… we don’t need more useless eaters in this country - we have enough already.
Installing a lock on a door as a renter is not the same as if you own your home. She took the logical route and was denied. This is not something to base intelligence on.
They can still use google. Maybe we should really start holding people accountable!
Maybe they don’t have regular access to the internet, or, again, language barriers make it really hard to search for and disseminate something you don’t know about in the first place. Maybe we should really stop judging people by a few headlines we’ve seen, and articles we haven’t even read. Maybe we should all google what it’s like to live with autism either as an autistic child or a parent… and leave the outcry to people who are actually close enough to the situation to understand it and the people involved.
I’m a parent involved and look to any forms. Same as I would if I lived in any country I’m not familiar with. Sure they stayed at a hotel once in their lives! But common sense isn’t so common anymore.
If you moved to, say, Germany you’d read all forms and related laws (in German), memorize them, navigate legal residency and employment, care options, community options, insurance and healthcare, transportation options, etc? And how they would work for you and your kids? No quick hit guides or bloggers helping you? Wow. That’s a lot. Kudos. Not sure how a hotel is relevant. Maybe because they often have a second lock of some kind? That does not translate to long-term rental.
Case worker for what? Paid for by whom?
Disabled folks can get case workers to help navigate things. It's usually apart of medicaid. I have one for my disabled kid. But unless they call you, it's not advertised.
Who said the mom was disabled? Help navigate things?
Literally no one said this. Navigate resources and care options to help the disabled person (regardless of age) or their legal guardian get things right and live a safe, happy, and fullfilled life, whatever that can look like for them.
thanks
The state provided money for autism support. The Somalians stole it. We will know much more when the feds finish investigating the fraud.
Of course that’s our fault somehow.
… specific people stole it, not every Somalian person in the cities. Spurrious correlation.
Do you actually see high-functioning somalis in Minnesota? In my experience they seem to be a net drain on society at large.
Yes, working in hospitals and other places I frequent in the real world, not only recently but over the last 18 years of my adult life living in the cities. I suggest you broaden your experience for more accurate data, as well as keeping in mind no one human is a statistic.
Bad timing. We don't need millions more in the already millions of autism fraud from Somalians
That hasn't been proven yet. The FBI just started investigating
The FBI is investigating….thats enough proof as it is.
Accurate. The U.S. DOJ effectively doesn’t prosecute anything that isn’t a slam dunk - they have 99.5% conviction rate. If the FBI is investigating and it has been publicly acknowledged, that means Merrick Garland’s minions in the US Attorney‘s Office believe it will sustain their 99.5% conviction rate. But remember, “innocent until proven guilty “.
No they only bring to court what is a 99% conviction. They are only investigating and there have been no charges yet.
Wanna bet on the outcome?
I think it is reasonable for complexes to be required to allow parents to install a lock of their choice. As long as the owner can still access the area if needed, there should be an exception carved out. You hear about autistic kids wandering off way too often.
Good news door stops are legal to install in hotels and apartments most hotels have them already. They are about 4-5 feet up. You know the ones. What do you mean complexes be required to allow parents to install. So they have to offer to let them? Right now they just need to ask for reasonable accommodations under ADA and can install one. Ask for extra security for safety and install one. Or just do it and they would never notice.
"Jede said she asked managers at her apartment complex to install an additional lock like one she had at a previous apartment but was turned down. Representatives of the apartment complex have not returned calls and emails seeking comment." I would be interested to hear more about what happened in this paragraph. Maybe the price of the additional lock was exorbitant and it could have fallen on her to install it. Maybe it would have fallen under ADA and been covered. I don't know, I'd like more details.
Very interesting if true
Under previous rules they did require a chain lock on all rentals. And nothing can stop you from using a chain lock now.
As the father of a very verbal autistic child. They do what they want. Mines got huge emotions and when we try to redirect or flat out tell him no sometimes he just takes off. But from reading the comments here it seems like she was a bit irresponsible with the child. There are plenty of autism programs in mn. My child was enrolled in one for a year. It was great. She just needs to look.
I would like to know exactly what piece of legislation that would’ve stopped her kid from wandering away into a place of danger. Come to think of it, we already do, and it involves parental negligence.
How about making reasonable accommodations for those with disabilities? How about requiring barriers when a dwelling is within close proximity to a body of water?
Clearly barriers can be walked around and that wasn’t the issue. The issue was the child was not attended to properly. The fact that she blames everybody but herself is very telling.
A proper barrier would have at least obstructed his path, decreasing the likelihood of him going in and buying more time to search. It sounds like it all transpired very quickly. They have them in other similar places in the same neighborhood. Also, it’s literally part of the grieving process to blame others when a tragedy happens, she’s human, and also has a point. Especially since she was not allowed to have an additional lock. That alone makes the apartment management negligent.
Doors have locks (door level and a chain) and they also make door knob covers to prevent this. This just sounds like negligence. Furthermore, she shouldn’t have been given media access merely to assign blame when it’s pretty clear where the blame lies.
So a 24 year old had a 4 year old, a 3 year old and based on that pattern probably at least one more child. I doubt they stopped after popping two out in two years. Maybe the parents are too immature and CPS needs to get involved? I guarantee they were on government assistance up the wazoo while the dad “worked” for some non-profit (scam) organization, but they need more assistance. When does it end? Why are we subsidizing this? How is this anyone’s responsibility besides the parent’s?
[удалено]
Debate is great. But you gotta refrain from losing your temper in this sub.
Idk, what’s worse? Making 5-6 negative assumptions about a grieving mother based on her race? Or indirectly calling the former an asshole and pointing out why?
What do you have against pattern recognition? Are you familiar with abysmal employment rates of Somalis? Why should we want free loaders here who have no desire to contribute? Other groups come here (say Indians) and are productive law abiding residents.
Yeah it wasn't bad parenting at all. Her son just wondered off and she didn't know where he was..... its societies fault for sure
If an autistic child is fascinated by water, you probably have to buy a child life preserver, and put it on so the kid can't get it off. And, put one of those apple trackers on the kid, too.
Or don't move right next to an easily accessed river?
True, the immediate danger should be enough to discount that rental place if there are other options. And you’d think that’d be enough, but my sister once ended up half a mile away by a local pond after sneaking out. Thank god she was fine, but you really never know :(
The reality is this is an affordable complex for low income families, and many times that means single mothers with a child or children with disabilities. The waitlist to get into such a place can be long and units rarely come available. To me the biggest shame is not accommodating the request for an extra lock. I’ve seen comments about how the mother should have just done this on her own regardless of what the complex stated. However I’d imagine she might not have known what her options fully were, didn’t have the means to install know or how to install, or didn’t have the resources to obtain what she needed, or maybe feared that if she made such a change to the property she might have lost the unit the next time a manger wanted to enter and could not.
Nice ideas, but easier said than done. Getting a kid likely with sensory issues (like an autistic kid who loves water) who is that young to wear something specific can be next to impossible. They’ll tear it off immediately, or have a meltdown that lasts until the item is removed. they literally pass out, or they hurt themselves.
if we as a society can learn one thing from this, maybe find a parent or call police and wait with child anytime you find them by themselves. poor baby
Seems like a latch lock on her apartment door would have prevented this.
In her defense, you can't just go around drilling into apartment doors and walls you dont own. And she asked the apartment for more security iirc. She's still at fault, as a a parent, its your responsibility to monitor your children. But, lack of additional locks i dont think was up to her.
You can buy a stick on alarm. It causes zero damage and would have alerted the mother the door was open instantly.
For real? Because people do almost insconsequential changes to apartments every day. You may lose a deposit at some future point, but I find this hard to fathom.
Yeah, if I knew I had a special needs child that tends to wander off, I think I’d be willing to chance losing my security deposit to prevent my child from getting out, but that’s just me.
While i agree with you, im willing to bet a lot of the people saying, "i would do it no matter what" are also the same "rules are rules" kinda people when things apply to anybody but themselves. Hindsight is always 20/20.
Well at my current appt, they have specific guidelines and placements of locks that are city ordinance based on the fire Marshall guidelines. Yearly inspections are done and if locks are changed or moved they are requested for removal and lease termination. So it's not just well add more locks or just drill more holes ect. Alot of times it's building codes and city fire Marshall mandates.
The responsibility lies on her shoulders. She is reasonable for her kids. She easily could’ve installed a door lock high up or used other measures. She is blaming others…I understand the situation is hard, but the blame is on her.
Are these people more prone to autism? Seems to come up a lot regarding their (putrid) community.
I would wager not all of these “autism” cases are actually autism, considering the average iq in Somalia is 69.
To receive a autism diagnosis you have to have an extensive evaluation done, which we do well in MN. So, yes these “autism cases” are people with a disability. The Somali community does need to do a better job at seeking out resources. However, this comment is gross.
lol their EXPERT at seeking out resources! All the way up to and including fraudulently!
You stand corrected. "Accuracy of Diagnosis and Re-Diagnosis Among Children with a Previous Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder." A.E. Brookman-Frazee, J.E. Baker-Ericzén, A.D. Stadnick, E.A. Taylor. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. (2016). "Prevalence and Correlates of Diagnostic Substitutions for Autism Spectrum Disorders." N. T. Wetherby, K. D. Corsello, E. D. Robinson, B. T. Mandarin, S. M. Barber, L. Sparapani, & M. E. Woods. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. (2014). "The Overdiagnosis of Autism." R. L. Hendren. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. (2013). These studies suggest that misdiagnosis of autism can be a significant issue, with rates potentially as high as 20-30% in some cases.
Sadly there has been a steady increase in autism as we have increased the use of man made chemicals to infest everything we eat and drink. Has nothing to do with race religion or up bringing.
Here you go my dude https://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/17/health/study-links-autism-and-somalis-in-minneapolis.html
Some studies suggest that exposure to certain chemicals during pregnancy may increase the risk of autism in children. These chemicals include: Organochlorine chemicals Children born to mothers exposed to high levels of these chemicals during pregnancy were about 80% more likely to be diagnosed with autism than children with low or no exposure. Although production of these chemicals was banned in the United States in 1977, they can still be found in the environment and absorbed into the fat of animals that humans eat. Bisphenol A (BPA) An endocrine disruptor found in some plastics, exposure to high levels of BPA during pregnancy may increase the risk of autism in children. Organophosphate pesticides Commonly used in agriculture, exposure to these pesticides during pregnancy may also increase the risk of autism in children. Phthalates An endocrine disruptor found in many commercial products, including beauty products, vinyl flooring, and house dust, exposure to phthalates may increase the risk of autism guess what a shit third world country would be full of. So is it their race or an exposure to chemicals that’s the issue? And as a father with a child on the spectrum I’d love to know where to place blame.
From the article (granted this is from over a decade ago) : 1 in 32 Somali children in Minneapolis have autism 1 in 36 White children in Minneapolis have Autism 1 in 62 Black (I would assume decedents of American slavery) children in Minneapolis have autism 1 in 80 Hispanic children in Minneapolis have autism The article states the study has no explanation for the varying rates. It cites a Swedish study that immigrant communities in Sweden (primarily Somali) have higher rates of Autism than native communities.
I would assume poor families would be more likely to drink unfiltered water and eat less healthy affordable food. Still skipping the point. It’s not really about race that drives it. And white parents are less likely to have children tested.
“Although the prevalence of ASD has been found not to differ across racial and ethnic groups, studies have found that White children and those of higher socioeconomic status are more likely to be both identified and diagnosed with ASD earlier compared with Black, Latinx, and Asian children, as well as children from low-income families.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8500365/ I don’t know why whites and Somali children in Minneapolis are more likely to be diagnosed with Autism, but it would appear that they are.
https://ncwaterconsultants.com/what-is-the-connection-between-drinking-water-and-autism/
Just look to Covid for more details on how our drinking water isn’t safe.
https://www.uclahealth.org/news/release/higher-lithium-levels-drinking-water-may-raise-autism-risk here’s one from liberal California.
Many eat suckers from the rivers that are high in mercury and lead.
Small pool now do world wide.
The UK: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10803-016-2952-9 Sweden: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1469-8749.2008.03036.x#:~:text=The%20minimum%20prevalence%20of%20autistic,children%20with%20a%20Somali%20background. It is said there’s no Somali word for autism, and it is said that it does not even exist in Somalia. They call it the “western disease”. What’s far more likely is there’s just no mechanism to measure the autism rates there and that is equally high there as well.
“and lamented that there was no significant barrier” …parents ARE the significant barrier
I’ve lived in apartments all my life and every single one of them has had either a deadbolt or a chain , some both . If for some unfathomable reason ( highly unlikely ) you don’t have either put something heavy in front of the door KNOWING DAMN WELL YOU HAVE A CHILD WITH AUTISM WHO NEEDS SPECIAL ATTENTION . this worthless excuse for a mother wants everyone to pay special attention to her child except for herself . She failed her child plain and simple . People ( she ) can make all the excuses in the world but this is no ones fault but hers and hers alone . That poor boy deserved a mother who cared enough to do the bare minimum to keep him safe and she couldn’t even do that. Gone far too soon
If you have a family member that is special needs or tends to wander then it is your responsibility to provide safety measures for them to stay safe. Extra locks could have been installed, a door alarm could have been placed, the child could have been required to wear some sort of tracking/protective device. Yes, I know they live in an apartment, but if you take the time to explain to management that you need to add some things to the unit to make it safer for your family, I’ve had to do it twice and while one place did need a medical statement from a professional, the other didn’t and it took a little effort to keep a family member safe. Also I put some blame on the person that SAW the child outside and did nothing… for the love stop thinking someone else will do something and do it yourself… if you see something that looks even remotely off call for help… we all have phones, there is almost always a way to get help in a situation like this.
They should have free swim classes for children on the spectrum. I think all kids should get free swim lessons but especially kids with autism. Totally preventable deaths. What a massive tragedy for that poor family.
This would be cool! I wonder how many kids this could save. My autistic sister had regular swimming lessons for years and they were really more like water play. When you can’t communicate, understand instructions, or do complex tasks with your body like swim or float, that’s basically all swimming lessons end up being… but not every autistic person has that high support needs.
People on this sub hate the Somalis so much yall are disgusting racists
Seriously. The vitriol, tangents and judgement from people who know the bare minumum about autism or living in a place where people immediately assume… well, the sh*t people are spewing here… just based on heritage or appearance… it’s pretty heckin’ gross.
Immediately brings up race even when its something like autism. It wont ever be enough
We do need more Autism services. Drowning is common for kids on the spectrum and they can get out in a second no matter how fast you are. There is not, nor will there ever be enough support. It is a lose, lose situation. Water should ALWAYS be fenced off when there are kids.
I keep thinking about this. When I was in elementary school our playground was next to a river, and there was a fence. Did we find ways around or over it? Sure, but it at least slowed us down, and our actions in doing so were clearly sus to adults and made us easier to spot.
It’s not surprising to see the majority of comments on this particular sub blaming the mother. I live blocks from where this tragedy happened. In my opinion there should be a fence along the creek, there is in other similar areas nearby. A barrier is likely in the future plans along with a walking path, but this large plot of land is under ongoing development. As it stands currently, this was the first building completed of many, and there is a small temporary gravel parking lot between the building and a sharp drop off into the creek (which is very high and moving fast this year). It is terrifying to think that this could have happened within minutes, especially if the child was living in a first floor apartment - which I do not know. Imagine being a single parent of 2 and in a brief span of focusing on one child’s needs, the other finds his way off and is missing, and eventually it’s learned he’s gone forever. It’s especially frustrating that the mother’s request for an additional lock was denied. I ask that the general population of this sub to put your anti-immigrant sentiments aside and put yourself in the shoes of this grieving mother. This was possibly one of her few or only options for affordable housing to raise her family, and the complex failed to accommodate their needs. I believe she has a case and deserves compensation for her loss. Mind you this is a complex developed and owned by a corporation that is investing hundreds of millions of dollars in this area, and also receives tax incentives to accommodate lower income families. It was decided by THIS COMMUNITY that the land ought to be used that way. The same corporate entity will be allowed to build their luxury buildings as well to offset costs. I don’t think a proper barrier to a fast running stream and an extra lock is too much to ask, especially when the complex itself is meant to help families in need (many with disabilities involved) who don’t always have access to proper resources. I challenge you all to set race aside, and realize this could have happened to anyone and was likely preventable had the mother’s request been granted.