Indy woman hoping to get attention of lawmakers after death of Shalom Lawson
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — An Indianapolis woman is hoping to get the attention of lawmakers after the tragic death of 8-year-old Shalom Lawson in Brownsburg.
Shauna Lipscomb told 24-Hour News 8 she wants to propose a law that would provide families of children with autism a tracking device.
24-Hour News 8 met Lipscomb on a recent night at a meeting for a program called Project Lifesaver in Hendricks County.
Since then, she has started a petition to get more people on board with what she’s calling Project Take Action.
Lipscomb said she came up with the idea after attending a meeting and researching about a tracking device that could help families of children and adults with autism and other cognitive disorders.
“Since this device is out here let’s make it available to all parents who have children that are autistic,” she said.
She said she felt so passionately after learning about the death of Shalom Lawson.
“I literally get this unsettling sense that this could happen to my kid,” she said.
Her 3-year-old son is also autistic. She said he’s starting to wander off.
“I just turned my head for one second and he was already off and he’s nonverbal and he doesn’t respond to verbal calls either,” she explained.
Lipscomb started a petition on change.org and had more than 60 supporters as of Wednesday night.
“I’m hoping that together we get the signatures we get the lawmaking people involved and we start issuing out these bracelets,” she said.
She said she’s pushing for a bill that’s similar to federal legislation proposed last year, which would provide parents of children with autism a GPS tracking device. The bill called Kevin and Avonte’s Law did not pass in the U.S. Senate.
“I think if we work together in this city that we can change some things that are happening here,” she said.
Lipscomb knows it’s going to take a lot of time and work, but she’s not giving up.
“We’re not going to stop we’re going to keep pressing and pressing until we see some things take place,” she said.
Lipscomb is also starting a support group for parents of children with autism. The first meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. July 27 at 3266 N. Meridian St., Suite 909.
She said representatives from different organizations will be available to answer questions about autism.
Click here if you would like to sign the petition for Project Take Action.