Like many others in the Lehigh Valley and beyond, Erik and Kelly Weiner followed the New Year’s Eve disappearance of Jayliel Vega Batista and hoped for a good outcome. The 5-year-old autistic Allentown resident was eventually found drowned in the Lehigh Canal. With two daughters, 7-year-old Kendall and 3-year-old Devan, who was born with Down Syndrome, the Weiners understood how difficult it must have been for Batista’s family.

Prompted by the tragedy and the fact that one of his daughters is a special needs child, Weiner decided to pursue establishing a system similar to Amber Alerts, one that could not only describe a child, but that would provide special instructions and possibly the child’s diagnosis.

He notes that if a child hasn’t been abducted, there is currently no system similar to Amber Alerts, which can be texted, broadcast by the media and posted on highway signs. He says special needs children tend to be more inclined to wander.

On Jan. 4 he set up a petition on the website change.org.

“I want it to encompass all of the special needs community,” said Weiner, who explained that petition results are being transmitted to senators Bob Casey and Pat Toomey, as well as Governor Tom Wolf. He has also communicated his concerns with congressmen Charlie Dent and Mike Fitzpatrick.

Initially, Weiner had hoped for 500 petition signatures, but just two days into the drive over 1,300 had signed in support of his cause.

“I just wanted to talk to somebody at the legislative level,” said Weiner, and he hopes that if they can’t help, they can point him in the direction of somebody who can.

Weiner and his family live in Quakertown and he calls the community’s response to his petition a “wild ride.” Since Devan was born, he has found the community of special needs “vast and wide.” He has served as co-chair of the Bucks County Down Syndrome Interest Group.

Weiner, who is the human resource training coordinator at the Sands Bethlehem Casino, said his school teacher wife has been very supportive of his initiative.

“My intent is not to get specific,” he says, “my goal is to help the entire special needs community. I hope something good comes out of it.”

Those interested in supporting Weiner’s petition can go to change.org and type his name into the search box.