FLORENCE, Ky. (WXIX) – A Tri-State organization that helps support parents of children with autism and the owner of a swim lesson school are talking about prevention after the body of 9-year-old girl was recovered in a pond in Florence on Saturday.
Jenny Dim was non-verbal and autistic, according to the Boone County Sheriff’s Office.
“That child this weekend is exactly what we’re trying to prevent here,” said Eric Moore, owner of Swim Life of Northern Kentucky.
Swim Life of Northern Kentucky offers swim lessons which Moore said is a very important survival skill, especially for children with autism.
He said right now there are more than 300 children with autism on a wait list hoping to earn a scholarship with his swim school.
“So when it happens, it hits us harder than anybody because I am always going to wonder what if I could have gotten her and trained her,” said Moore.
“Too many times. There were two deaths this weekend. Hers and then also the one in Deerfield Township. Both found in a body of water and it’s time to do something about it,” said Leslie Williams, board president of EmPath for Autism.
Williams said her organization is working on several ways to help families of children with autism.
They include the use of JagTags to help to track children with autism.
JagTags are powered by Apple AirTags or Moto Tags. They are designed for children with autism or other disabilities who wander, according to the EmPath for Autism website.
Williams said there is also a petition with more than 3,400 signatures to try to have more fences built around ponds.
“We’re not planning to put a fence up around all of them, just the ones that are easily accessible,” said Williams.