A Dumont woman with autism was found safe in New York City after having gone missing four days ago.
Authorities says that Samantha McManus left her Dumont home around 9:30 p.m. Monday.
The woman’s mother says that McManus slipped out of the house without anyone noticing. Marie McManus says that she believes her daughter’s struggle with autism may be why she left home.
“[My husband] drives. Her sisters drive, and I say, ‘I’m sorry, you can’t drive.’ She gets frustrated on that,” Marie McManus says.
Development experts say that this type of frustration is common among adults with autism. The Alpine Learning Group in Paramus just launched a program for 18-21 year olds with autism. They say that there aren't enough services for high-functioning adults like McManus.
"Social skills, independent living skills, somebody other than your mom to teach you laundry, to cook your own meals,” says director Katrina Roberts.
Roberts says that having adult children with this type of disorder is difficult for parents to navigate.
"If you have a child who is typically developing, eventually they'll fade out of [the parents’] life more and more because they're gaining skills. They're becoming more independent,” Roberts says. "A person with autism will need extended support in their life."
Marie McManus says that she knows that her daughter is seeking more independence.
"We are in the process of finding her a group home or apartment so that she's with other people who are more her age,” she says.
McManus’s family tells News 12 New Jersey that she is getting checked out at the hospital.