Langley woman files human rights complaint, claiming harassment of autistic son

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LANGLEY (NEWS1130) – A Langley woman is so frustrated over what she calls harassment by her neighbours towards her autistic son, she’s now filed a human rights complaint.

Stacey Vogl says the people next door continue to call her child “retarded.”

Her three-year-old son Thomas has autism and genetic overgrowth disorder, which means he’s already 70 pounds. He jumps when he gets excited, which has been making some noise.

Vogl says she’s done everything she can, even added a special occupational therapy program to try and get him to jump on the balls of his feet instead of his heels.

“I put yoga mats down where Thomas jumps, I’ve bought a trampoline, I take the couch cushions off the couch,” explains the mother.

Still, Vogl says one set of neighbours is taking things into their own hands. “They bang on our walls, they come to our house screaming and swearing at us telling me to shut my [expletive] retarded kid up.”

The family’s other neighbour Paul is understanding and has no problem with Thomas’ noise especially because it’s only during the day.

“You don’t treat anybody like that and [I don’t] comprehend how someone can yell at a three-year-old and call a three-year-old names. And the fact that he has autism and a few other things, makes it even worse,” explains Paul. “It’s bullying is what it is, so to pick on a three-year-old is just unbelievable.”

Vogl understands the frustration of her neighbours but is just looking for some compassion.

“He’s the most gentle giant you’ll ever meet, and for someone to call him a retard…it just broke my heart, I can’t even tell you,” adds Vogl.

She’s been threatened with fines from her strata company AWM Alliance and so she’s filed a human rights complaint against the group.

Calls by News1130 to AWM have not been returned.

The BC Human Rights Coalition says people with disabilities have certain kinds of rights under the Human Rights Code. “They’re protected from being discriminated against. One of the aspects of human rights laws is the right to be accommodated for your disability and certainly that is the foundation of this complaint,” explains Robyn Durling

ACT (Autism Community Training) Executive Director Deborah Pugh says Stacey is doing all the right things to prevent the noise and help her son.

“I think having someone hammering on the walls in the middle of the afternoon, most people aren’t that sensitive to noise happening. We’re only talking about a child jumping up and down….not screaming,” Pugh says.

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