A 9-year-old boy with autism died after being struck by a car shortly after leaving his home in Prince William County, prompting renewed concern over the dangers of wandering behavior among children with special needs.
The crash occurred Monday, April 13, near the intersection of Centreville Road and Leland Road, according to the Prince William County Police Department. Authorities said the child ran into the roadway, where he was hit by a 2012 Honda Civic.
Bystanders immediately began performing CPR before the boy was transported to a nearby hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
Family members identified the child as Mathew Vargas in statements to WUSA.
His father, Fernando Vargas, said Mathew—who was non-verbal and also had ADHD—had previously wandered from home. On the night of the incident, the child managed to bypass three separate locks.
“One was electronic, one was a push button, and one other one was a mechanical gate lock that’s very hard to figure out—and he did it,” Vargas said.
Police identified the driver as 30-year-old Jacinto Morales, of Centreville. He remained at the scene and was not injured. Authorities charged him with driving without a license—his third such offense—but the investigation into the crash remains ongoing.
Despite the charge, Vargas told WUSA he does not hold the driver responsible.
“Some parents don’t understand what we go through,” he said. “It’s very hard for us raising a special needs kid with autism. You really don’t know what he wants or how he’s feeling.”
Experts describe “wandering,” also known as elopement, as a common behavior among children with autism. The National Autism Association notes that individuals may leave safe environments unexpectedly, increasing their risk of injury or death.
Mathew was a student at Yorkshire Elementary School, where family members said he left a lasting impact on classmates and staff. A GoFundMe created to support the family has raised more than $23,000 as of this week.
Police are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact Prince William County authorities.
