Police officer helps autistic girl

BONNERS FERRY — Twelve-year-old Abby Bliss is a smart girl who likes to go on adventures. While this may be safe for many children her age, it is not so for Abby, because she is autistic.

“She has no personal awareness,” said Abby’s mother, Amy Bliss. “The type of autism that she has is minimally verbal, so she really only talks to people when it’s convenient for her, and she has absolutely no safety awareness.”

About a month ago, Abby managed to escape her house and yard, a recurring theme as Abby has become older and more creative.

“That time she made it all the way to the river. She went down the gully, across the railroad tracks, and made it to the river because she wanted to go swimming,” said Bliss, who then paused and said, with a tremble to her voice, “She can’t swim.”

She was located and rescued by Abby’s Syringa Family Partnership Clinical Supervisor Crista Bontrager. “I am very thankful that her Syringa therapist found her,” said Bliss.

“It’s hard, because you know, as a parent you try to keep your kid as protected as possible and then you have a kid that unknowingly does everything in their power to undermine everything that you are doing to keep them safe,” said Bliss.

Four years ago, on June 15, the Bonners Ferry Rotary Club sponsored its second annual U.S. Customs versus Border Patrol charity flag football game, to help fund a 6-foot cedar fence around the Bliss’ yard, so Abby could safely play outside at their home.

Bliss expressed her immense gratitude for the community coming together to help make that dream a reality. Unfortunately, the fence does not always stop the determined young girl.

“I had to tie up my lawn chair so she couldn’t get out of the fence by using that chair,” explained Bliss. “She’s grown, and she’s gotten smarter. We have to up the ante on what we can do to protect her, because she still doesn’t have the safety awareness.”

On June 7, Abby escaped again, prompting a fast response from law enforcement. Even Boundary County Search and Dive Rescue was called. “She likes to be sneaky because she wants to leave. She has ideas,” said Bliss.

Bonners Ferry Police Officer Chris Langan was among those called to action to find Abby. It wasn’t the first time he had helped search for her. “Our youngest son is on the autism spectrum too,” said Langan, “so I know how difficult that stuff can be.”

After Abby was successfully located, Langan put a plan into motion to help Abby and the Bliss family. Langan sought help from local businesses in town, including Far North Outfitters, Les Schwab Tire Center, Safeway, Dyck’s Oil & Auto, Carquest Auto Parts, and Bonners Ferry Glass and Door.

“She is getting a GPS locator,” said Langan, who presented Bliss with The hereO GPS watch, a real-time cellular-connected GPS tracking device, designed for children as young as three years of age. The watch retails for $199, and the local businesses helped further by paying for a one year subscription.

“The monitor will be set up on a smartphone so both of her parents will be able to access it, and they will be able to see where she is at,” said Langan. “It works on all cell phone towers. That was an issue that Amy was having because there is several GPS locators but a lot of them use different towers so finding something that would work on everything, if they go on vacation or something like, that they wouldn’t be able to track her if they needed to.”

“We are in Sandpoint once a week for therapy, going to Spokane often for her specialist, and things like that and we do a little bit of family traveling,” said Bliss. “It’s nice to know that I won’t be losing her.”

The Bliss family also received two specialized deadbolt locks that they can lock from the outside, to help keep Abby safely inside her house. These items will help take some of the worry off of Bliss and her husband, Jack Bliss.

Bliss explained that the difference in raising a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder, is that you cannot just tell them not to do something. “You have to show them why, and explain how life is better, if you don’t. They don’t have any reasoning skills. You have to teach them reasoning skills and it’s a journey.”

It is a journey that the whole family is taking with Abby. She is in therapy with the Syringa Family Partnership, a local developmental disabilities agency, that provides developmental disabilities services to children with autism spectrum disorders, as well as cerebral palsy, epilepsy, intellectual disability and other similar disabilities.

“Basically, it teaches life skills and community skills along with behavioral intervention,” said Bliss. “It’s really an amazing program.”

For the Bliss family, every milestone is a victory. Last year Abby learned to ride a bicycle. “We just got her potty trained this year. It’s one of those things,” Bliss explained. “Maybe next year she’ll talk more. That’s always a goal.”

Abby also has the support of her twin sister, Bridget Bliss. “Her twin and her have the best relationship,” said Bliss. “They absolutely adore each other.”

“Our community has been so good to us. Every time Abby goes missing, everybody comes and helps and looks. Everybody is walking down the street, practically arm in arm, trying to find her for us,” said Bliss.

With the efforts made by Langan, and the generosity of local businesses, one young girl will not be taking her adventures alone.