Minnesota mom hosts another lock giveaway following drowning death of boy with autism

A Minnesota mom and media personality is again giving away free locks after the body of an 11-year-old Eden Prairie boy with autism was found in a pond last month.

Sheletta Brundidge — a Twin Cities media personality, author and mother to three children on the autism spectrum — hosted a lock giveaway in Eden Prairie Saturday.

The event came after the body of 11-year-old Mohamed Mohamed was found in a pond near his Eden Prairie home on Oct. 20. Mohamed was nonverbal and had been diagnosed with autism.

In her announcement, Brundidge cited a finding from the National Autism Association that half of children diagnosed with autism will try to escape a safe environment. They are also 160 times more likely to die by drowning than other children.

In all, 75 of the specialty locks were provided to families. 

"That's 75 children saved. That's 75 mothers who are able to brush their teeth or pee with the door closed or get a good night's sleep knowing her autistic child is safe from wandering away!" Brundidge wrote in a Facebook post. 

The event isn’t the first lock giveaway Brundidge has hosted following the drowning death of a child with autism. In June, she hosted a giveaway after 4-year-old Waeys Mohamed drowned near his home in Hopkins.

Brundidge says she’s previously given away around 600 door locks to parents of autistic children in Marshall and Hopkins.

“We don’t want finances to be a barrier for a child to be safe in their home,” Brundidge said in a statement.