Thirty Seconds: Why We Made a Film About Autism, Wandering, and Water Safety
Updated on October 21, 2026Every year, children with autism lose their lives after wandering into nearby water. This short film hopes to raise awareness of this devastating reality and share a message everyone should remember: Check Water First.
It can happen during the most ordinary moments. A child playing at home. A parent preparing lunch. A family going about their day.
And then, suddenly, a child is missing.
For many families raising children with autism, wandering (also known as elopement) is a major constant safety concern. A child may unexpectedly leave their home, school, playground, or other familiar environment, sometimes without recognizing the dangers around them.
What many people don’t realize is that when an autistic child goes missing, one of the greatest dangers can be a nearby body of water. A backyard pool. A neighborhood pond. A canal. A retention basin.
And the time available to find that child may be measured in minutes.
This is the reality behind Thirty Seconds, a short public service announcement created to raise awareness of autism-related wandering and the urgency of searching nearby water when a child goes missing.
A Devastating Reality: The Numbers Behind the Tragedies
In recent years, a heartbreaking pattern has emerged across the United States as families and communities have faced an alarming number of fatal wandering incidents involving children with autism.
In 2024, the National Autism Association documented 82 deaths involving autistic children who had wandered from safety. Of those, 75 were drownings.
According to an April 2025 report from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), the number of drowning fatalities documented in 2024 had approximately doubled compared with each of the preceding three years.
And the tragedies continued.
NCMEC’s 2025 wandering fatality data document an equally disturbing reality:
- At least 98 children and young adults with autism were recovered deceased following wandering incidents.
- 88% of those deaths were due to drowning.
- 90% of those who drowned were age 10 or younger.
These are documented cases, not comprehensive national mortality figures, and the two organizations’ tracking methods are not necessarily identical. The true number of tragedies may be higher.
The research also makes clear that wandering is a tragically common occurrence.
A September 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis published in Frontiers in Pediatrics, drawing on 14 observational studies, estimated that approximately 46% of autistic children and adolescents experience wandering or elopement.
Meanwhile, the American Academy of Pediatrics’ updated 2026 drowning-prevention guidance reports that children with autism face approximately three times the risk of drowning compared with children without autism.
These statistics are difficult to comprehend.
But behind every number is a child or young person whose life was cut short, a family whose world changed forever, and a community left asking what might have been done differently.
They also reveal something that urgently deserves greater public awareness: drowning is the leading cause of death following autism-related wandering.
The Danger May Be Closer Than You Think
When people hear that a child has gone missing, they may imagine a search covering miles of roads, neighborhoods, or wooded areas.
But for children with autism who wander, the danger can be much closer.
According to NCMEC, 67% of the drownings documented in 2025 occurred in natural or naturally appearing bodies of water.
Not necessarily swimming pools, but lakes, ponds, streams, drainage canals, and other water sources that may be within walking distance of where a child was last seen.
Some autistic children are drawn to water because of its movement, sounds, reflections, or sensory qualities. Others may wander for entirely different reasons, including curiosity, seeking a familiar place, or escaping an overwhelming environment.
Every child is different, and not every autistic child is drawn to water.
But regardless of an individual’s relationship with water, it must remain an immediate priority when someone goes missing.
In August 2026, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published guidance emphasizing that autism-related wandering can become life-threatening within minutes.
Its message is clear: call 911 immediately, communicate that the missing person is autistic, and ask emergency responders to prioritize nearby water while also searching other serious hazards, including roads and railroad corridors.
This urgency is at the heart of the national Check Water First message.
It is a simple instruction, but one that more parents, neighbors, teachers, caregivers, and first responders need to know.
Why We Made Thirty Seconds
Statistics help us understand the scale of a problem. Stories help us understand what those numbers mean.
That was the thinking behind Thirty Seconds. We wanted to create something that would communicate the urgency of wandering and water safety in a way that facts and figures alone cannot.
The film depicts an ordinary family moment, the kind that could unfold in almost any home. There is nothing unusual about the setting or the family going about their day. And that is precisely the point.
Wandering emergencies do not always begin in unfamiliar places or under extraordinary circumstances. They can occur during everyday activities, even in loving, attentive homes where families have taken precautions to keep their children safe.
The film is not intended to assign blame or suggest that parents can maintain uninterrupted supervision every second of every day.
It is intended to make people stop and consider how quickly an emergency can unfold and how critically important the first moments of a search can be. Because sometimes the difference between tragedy and a safe return comes down to knowing where to look first. Check Water First.
A Meaningful Collaboration Behind the Camera
There is another story behind Thirty Seconds, one that reflects the importance of inclusion and authentic participation.
The film was created through a collaboration involving AngelSense, professional filmmaker Zach Hoaglund, who is himself on the autism spectrum, and a family who generously volunteered their time to take part in the production.
Filmed in Florida, the project offered an opportunity not only to raise awareness of an issue affecting the autism community, but also to bring autistic creative talent into the storytelling process.
Zach helped bring the concept to life through his filmmaking, while the participating family contributed their time and presence to a project intended to help other families and communities. Their involvement made it possible to transform an important safety message into something people could see, feel, and remember.
For AngelSense, supporting this project was an opportunity to contribute to a cause that extends well beyond any one company or organization. The hope was to create a resource that could be shared freely by families, schools, autism advocates, water-safety organizations, and first responders. Something that could start conversations, encourage preparedness, and help more people recognize the urgency of wandering-related emergencies.
Turning Awareness Into Action
The message of Thirty Seconds is straightforward, but meaningful change requires more than awareness alone.
It requires preparedness.
The American Academy of Pediatrics emphasizes that drowning prevention depends on multiple layers of protection. No single precaution can eliminate the danger.
Families, caregivers, and communities can take important steps to reduce risk:
- Identify nearby water hazards. Look beyond swimming pools to ponds, canals, lakes, retention basins, and other water sources near homes, schools, and frequently visited places.
- Develop a wandering emergency plan. Ensure caregivers, educators, and other responsible individuals know what to do and whom to contact if someone goes missing.
- Prioritize water in an emergency. Call 911 immediately, explain the missing person’s autism-related safety and communication needs, and direct attention to nearby water and other immediate hazards.
- Build layers of protection. Appropriate home safeguards, individualized safety supports, and accessible swimming and water-safety education can all play a role. Swimming ability does not replace supervision or other precautions.
- Educate the wider community. Neighbors, teachers, first responders, and community organizations can all make a difference when they understand the risks and know how to respond.
The National Autism Safety Council’s Search Water First initiative offers important information about the urgency of searching water, identifying nearby hazards, and preparing communities to respond. These resources deserve to reach well beyond families who are already familiar with autism-related wandering.
In an emergency, the person who knows to check a nearby pond or pool may be a neighbor, teacher, police officer, or someone who has never personally encountered this risk before. And that knowledge could help save a life.
Thirty Seconds. A Message That Could Last a Lifetime.
No film can eliminate the dangers of wandering. No single safety measure can prevent every tragedy.
But awareness can change how we prepare, respond, and look out for one another.
We created Thirty Seconds because far too many families have experienced devastating losses, and because the connection between autism, wandering, and drowning is still not widely understood.
Our hope is that this film reaches far beyond the families already living with the risk of wandering.
That it is shared in schools, discussed in parent groups, included in safety education, and watched by first responders and community members.
And that its message stays with people long after the film ends.
When a child with autism goes missing, every second matters.
Check Water First.
Please watch and share this film with your family, school, local community, or anyone who may benefit from understanding this critical safety message. Awareness today could make a lifesaving difference tomorrow.
Learn More: Wandering and Water Safety Resources
For additional information, prevention resources, and emergency guidance:
- National Center for Missing & Exploited Children — Autism & Wandering
- CDC — Autism Wandering Is an Emergency (2026)
- National Autism Safety Council — Search Water First
- National Autism Safety Council — Resource Library
- American Academy of Pediatrics — Prevention of Drowning (2026)
Thirty Seconds is a public service announcement produced by AngelSense in collaboration with filmmaker Zach Hoaglund and a participating family to promote autism wandering and water-safety awareness.
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