After autistic child drowns, Westford police offer AirTags to families

After the drowning of a child with autism this summer, Westford police hope the technology will provide an extra layer of safety for families whose loved ones are at risk.

In June, six-year-old Zayan Mayanja, who could not speak, slipped out a window and ran away from his family’s Westford home.

Multiple agencies searched for hours, using drones, K-9 police dogs and the state police air wing. But Zayan’s body was found in Nabnasset Lake after midnight, sending shockwaves through the tight-knit town.

“It hit the entire community incredibly hard,” said Westford Police Deputy Chief James Peloquin. “It hit first responders, counselors, everyone really. I think anytime there’s a child involved, a vulnerable population, it hits harder.”

Determined to prevent another tragedy, Westford police have begun offering Apple AirTags to families with vulnerable loved ones.

The AirTag is a small, wireless tracker that sends anonymous Bluetooth signals to nearby Apple devices, which then transmit the AirTag’s location to iCloud. Using the Find My app, the account holder can then locate the AirTag’s exact location.

Westford Police Capt. Michael Breault believes the devices could save a missing person’s life and hopes other police departments consider equipping families with AirTags or other Bluetooth or GPS tracking devices.

“It could very well (save lives),” Breault. “It could also help us gain an advantage when we’re responding to a call. A father or a mother looks at their phone and sees their child in a certain place or a family member in a certain place. We can focus our resources in that area.”

Westford police are offering the devices to families of people listed in the Cognitive Alert Registration, which works with the city’s Council on Aging to track information about residents with Alzheimer’s, dementia, autism or other cognitive impairments.

Adopted in 2018 after other police departments, Westford’s Cognitive Alert registration includes biographical information about a person—such as hair and eye color, height, and weight—as well as information about their health and whether they have a tendency to wander. Some children with autism, for example, are drawn to water.

“Some family members report that their child likes to go near railroad tracks or into the woods,” Breault explained. “So we know we need to start looking in places where we might need to go right away. All of that information will come up on the computer for our officers to see before they get to the scene.”

Nancy Cook, treasurer of the nonprofit Westford Remembers, collected donations for Zayan’s grieving family, and when she managed to raise some money, she contacted the police, who advised her to buy AirTags.

“If we can save one life, no matter what it costs us,” Cook said, “if they just find (missing children) faster. It’s so terrifying. I can’t imagine the fear of losing a child.”

The charity spent nearly $700 on 24 AirTags and more than 40 accessories, including watch straps, bracelets and key rings. For those with sensory limitations, some of the accessories can be inserted into the sole of a shoe or attached to a belt loop.

Six-year-old Weston Mahady, who has a rare, undiagnosed genetic condition, is on the Cognitive Alert registry in Westford.

Weston, a happy little boy who loves his little sister and his tricycle, is legally blind and a sensory seeker. When he hears a car passing or a lawnmower across the street, he often rushes toward the sound.

“He starts climbing up onto windowsills and grabbing onto locks and picking them,” said Weston’s mother, Ali Mahady. “And that’s when we started to realize that security really started to get scary.”

Weston now has an AirTag bracelet attached to his shoelaces, so his parents can track his location as he rides the school bus home — or anywhere else, in real time.

“Being introduced to these AirTags is just an extra layer of protection for a kid like Weston who could potentially one day run out the door or learn to open that door when we’re not looking,” Ali said.

Two towns away in Lowell, Sam Kkonde is still mourning the death of his three-year-old son Harry.

In June 2022, Harry, who was unable to speak, wandered away from his nanny’s home and was found the next day in a nearby pond.

“We’re trying to get by here, but life has never been the same,” Sam told Boston 25 News. “It’s a tragedy. It can change someone’s life. Honestly, it leaves you feeling pretty much dead.”

Sam is shaken by the frantic hours spent searching for his son. After learning about the Westford Police Department’s AirTag program, he is now considering purchasing a similar device for his 2-year-old son, Harvey, who was born after his older brother died.

“Whatever the police (department) is doing, they’re doing a good job,” Sam said. “You don’t want people to end up like us.”

Even though Apple has made it clear that AirTags are not intended to track people, the devices are becoming an increasingly popular and affordable solution for parents.

“AirTag is designed to help people locate their personal belongings, not to track another person’s person or property,” the company said in 2022, referring to an unrelated use for the device.

For more information about registering for the Westford Police Department’s Cognitive Alert program, please visit: Cognitive-Alert-Registration-Information-Form (westfordma.gov).

Residents wishing to obtain an AirTag for a vulnerable family member can contact Westford Police at 978-399-2345.

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