A 5-year-old girl with Down syndrome, missing from her York County home, was found in mere minutes thanks to the county's new tracking program. According to QC News, the young girl had wandered off from her home on Dayton Road and was found by deputies using Project Lifesaver's technology, which employs radio-frequency to locate individuals prone to wandering.
After setting up dinner, her family noticed she was missing. Within ten minutes of deployment, she was discovered trapped inside a vehicle two streets away, having been unable to exit the car on her own. As per details obtained by WCNC, Kristine Mack, the girl's mother, prior to contacting the authorities, first searched the house and her eldest daughter began canvassing the neighborhood in a bid to find the young child.
This success story underlines the efficacy of Project Lifesaver, especially compared to traditional search methods which, on average, could have taken nine hours to find a missing person. The tracking bracelets provided by the program, as noted by York County Community Engagement Sergeant Johnathan Gilbert in an interview with WCNC, come at a cost—around $350 per kit. However, the program, keen to avoid turning away those in need, operates primarily on donations.
Sgt. Gilbert, driven to keep families safe without straining their finances, said, "We don't want to charge clients for this." The sheriff's office appeals to the community for support in maintaining the service free for those it serves. Project Lifesaver has established a donation system to facilitate community contributions, with information detailed on both WCNC and the sheriff's office website.
For families managing the day-to-day uncertainties that come with caring for loved ones with cognitive conditions such Alzheimer's, autism, Down syndrome, or traumatic brain injuries, the tracking bracelets signify more than devices—they are lifelines. In a statement obtained by WRHI, it was reported that caregivers are tasked with daily maintenance checks for the bracelets, readying themselves to call 9-1-1 should a wandering incident occur, initiating the search process that can swiftly reunite families and avert potential tragedies.
