LONG ISLAND CITY — The mother of Avonte Oquendo will join U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer at the State of the Union address Tuesday night in a push for the passage of a bill named after her late son, who disappeared in 2013 after running out of his special needs school in Queens.
Vanessa Fontaine will be the senator's guest at the event in order to call attention to Avonte's Law, a bill proposed by Schumer last year. It would fund a program to provide voluntary tracking devices for children with autism or other disorders who have a tendency to "bolt" or wander, according to an announcement from Schumer's office.
Avonte, who was autistic and nonverbal, went missing in October 2013 after leaving his Long Island City high school through an open door. His remains were found on a beach in College Point three months later.
"Ms. Fontaine's trip to Washington is just one example of her great strength and courage in the face of the tragic loss of her son Avonte," Schumer said in a statement.
"I hope that together we can rally further support for this legislation, which is essential to the families of loved ones with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and other special needs."
Schumer cited a study that found 49 percent of children with autism attempt to run away or wander.
Avonte's Law would fund a grant program that would help local police departments, schools and nonprofits purchase tracking devices that could be worn like a watch or clipped on to a child's shoelaces. Use of the devices would be completely voluntary, the senator said.
Passage of his bill would create a new $10 million program under the Department of Justice for the effort, which would be modeled after an existing Alzheimer's program, according to Schumer's office.
