When Protection Is Needed

19-year-old James Staricha had been friends with 21-year-old Tyler Larson since elementary school. Larson has autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit disorder and learning disabilities. Today's TwinCities.com reports that Staricha is accused of stealing Larson's identity and incurring more than $35,000 in debt via credit cards, loans, bank accounts and cell phones. Staricha has been charged with 24 felony counts.

After several attempts to open credit cards with other people's Social Security numbers, fake Social Security numbers and fake dates of birth, Staricha began using Larson's information, according to the complaint.

And it worked.

Staricha managed to acquire several credit cards and other accounts using Larson's Social Security number and date of birth. He requested two cards for each account — one in Larson's name and one in his own. He usually used his own address or post office box for statements and bills, and often included the name of his computer consulting business, St. Croix Computer Co., the complaint states.

Investigators tallied the total losses to all victims (including Larson, financial institutions and retail vendors) at $35,724.

"With my son, since he has problems ... I don't know that he can read people very well. He's just kind of naive. He's too trustworthy," Goar said. "He's been upset about it the whole time because this kid (Staricha) was supposed to be a friend. But he keeps doing it to him. He finds ways to take advantage of Tyler."

Financial matters are an area that Charlie will need someone else to oversee for him for his whole life. As much as I believe in emphasizing his strengths and abilities, I also have to acknowledge his vulnerabilities. Another reminder is from this story from today's Statesman Journal, about an ex-computer-camp-counselor, Aaron Leonard Munter, who has been convicted of showing child pornography to a then-13-year-old boy at the camp last summer. The boy is on the autism spectrum and, according to Marion County Deputy District Attorney Jodie Bureta, was "'especially vulnerable'" because of this. Munter had asked the boy into his dormitory room, where he showed the boy a pornographic video.

Call me one very anxious mom, but this is just one reason why we have yet to send Charlie to sleepaway camp. Charlie would not be able to tell us if something like this happened to him. Being an adolescent, his body has been changing. I've been looking at some sex education curricula for special needs student but some don't address the things he needs to focus on----safety and privacy---directly and concretely enough; Charlie's teacher has mentioned that she has been working on one.

It's been said before, must say it again: Safety first.

Image by Drog Poleg via Flickr.