KENTUCKY (FOX 56) — On March 11, a missing Lexington teenager with autism was safely located after an IAN Alert was issued—a system created specifically to help find missing children with disabilities who may wander away from caregivers.
The statewide alert system, known as the IAN Alert, took effect in 2024 to fill a gap in emergency notifications. It was inspired by the story of one boy whose family turned tragedy into action.
Rhonda O’Brien raised her grandson, Ian Sousis, from the time he was six months old. Ian had autism and sometimes wandered away—a behavior known as elopement. He also had a strong fascination with water.
RELATED | IAN alert canceled after missing Lexington teen with autism found safe
“Almost four years ago, my grandson, who I had guardianship of since he was six months old, had eloped from a treatment facility, and he made it to the Ohio River, and he drowned,” O’Brien said…