Family seeking security for Karlin
It took three hours to find a 7-year-old boy with autism who had wandered off his family’s north Waikato property.
Karlin Bradshaw ‘‘just wanted to go on an adventure’’ and didn’t understand why everyone was worried, his mother Tyla Pogson said.
Though he’d never wandered away from home before, his family is planning to install a security system to alert them if he does.
The family lives in Mangatangi – just north of Maramarua – and first noticed Karlin was missing around 5.30pm last Thursday.
‘‘We were in disbelief that he had gone wandering, because he doesn’t ever wander out of the section,’’ Pogson said.
‘‘We thought he was just hiding under the house or something.’’
She and husband Kurt called in both sets of grandparents for what soon turned into a threehour search involving locals, emergency services, and a helicopter.
A firefighter found Karlin around 8.30pm, about three kilometres from home and up in the hills at the back of a neighbouring farm.
He was ‘‘jumping up and down, happy to see the helicopter,’’ Pogson said.
‘‘He just wanted to go on an adventure. He’s obviously got no concept of what he’s done’’.
Karlin is the eldest of three kids, and his autism means his behaviour is unpredictable, Pogson said. He doesn’t talk much, and ‘‘would go up to any stranger and he would be happy as to see them’’.
One of the fears when he was missing on Thursday night was that someone had picked him up, Pogson said, so she posted on Facebook to ask people to keep an eye out.
‘‘The community was huge,’’ she said. ‘‘There were so many community members who were helping out.’’
The family wanted to thank Mum Tyla Pogson everyone who was involved.
‘‘It hasn’t even sunk in yet. It’s good to know that we have got a good community and everyone can be here at the drop of a hat if need be. It means a lot.’’
Pogson has explained to Karlin that walking up the hill was naughty but he’s still processing it. He had to climb multiple fences and gates – and get past electric fences – to get where he was found.
The family’s two-acre section is almost fully fenced and they didn’t think Karlin could get out.
Thursday night proved otherwise, which is why they’re looking at a kind of laser line around the perimeter and on the driveway, which would trigger an alarm in the house when crossed.
‘‘We just want that extra protection,’’ Pogson said.
Karlin has two younger siblings – Lucas is 21⁄2 and Willow is six months old – so the system would also keep tabs on them.
‘‘We thought he was just hiding under the house or something.’’
A Givealittle page has been started for the family, to help with the security system.