FORT BEND COUNTY — Hope Montgomery is advocating for water safety and community awareness in Fort Bend County after one of her daughters with autism nearly drowned. Her efforts come as local police search for Parker Wells, an 11-year-old with autism who has been missing for nearly a week.

She is the mother of triplets Lakin, Londyn, and Lauren, all of whom have autism. She described a recent incident where one of her daughters entered a pool unexpectedly while visiting a friend. "We were at a friend’s house and one of my daughters literally just jumped in," she said.

Although the child had received swimming lessons, the event caused significant alarm. "You know, she had been, we had the swimming lessons, and I literally ran to the edge of the water and I was about to jump in and I seen her come up and she started doing her little float — but it scared me," she said. She emphasized that families must remain alert despite such training.

"Never get comfortable with autism and water. Be very vigilant around it," she stated.

She noted that initial responses to a diagnosis often prioritize understanding the condition over specific safety measures. "Truth be told, when you first get the diagnosis of autism, you’re not thinking about, oh, I need to get swimming lessons, right? You’re trying to figure autism out," she said.

She added that awareness of drownings in the autism community requires constant attention. "Yeah. So to know that the drownings that we’ve been having with the autism community — you can never get comfortable," she said.

She advised parents to secure their homes and inform their neighbors. "You got to make sure your house is safe. You also have to make sure that your community is aware. Let them know that your child is on the spectrum," she said.

She also showed the importance of social networks in safety. "Having your village around you, making sure that your children are acclimating and know how to swim is key," she said.

Darla Farmer, CEO of the advocacy group Hope for Three, offered additional safety strategies. The organization states that people with autism tend to be drawn to water. Farmer suggested using visual aids to teach boundaries. "Number one, they could create visuals of bodies of water, of a pool, of a lake, and use those visuals to tell a story of how they do not go without mom or dad or how they stay away and can only view," Farmer said.

Farmer also recommended physical safeguards for home entrances. "Of course, locks on the doors are always a vital part of keeping our children safe, but we also want to place them out of reach from the children," she said. She specified that hardware should not be easily accessible.

"We don’t want them to necessarily be at the child’s level or eye level," Farmer added. Hope for Three provides tracking bracelets and access to free swimming lessons for children.

The current search for Parker Wells involves specific tactics due to his condition. Wells is nonverbal. Police are playing his favorite Disney music during the search efforts.

Hope for Three was the first organization in Fort Bend County to focus exclusively on providing resources for families with children with autism. The group was inspired by the Montgomery family's experience and has provided more than $10 million in financial aid since its founding in 2011.

She emphasized that children with autism may not recognize danger and can be drawn to the sight or sound of water, which is a concern in neighborhoods with retention ponds and drainage areas. Hope for Three offers social support and community engagement programs to assist families with children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.