MADISON HEIGHTS, Mich. (WXYZ) — A Madison Heights family who found a missing 6-year-old boy with autism safe in their home is now receiving community support after their house sustained extensive water damage from the incident.
La'Bron Brinkley and his family discovered Johnathan in their upstairs bathtub filled with water after the boy wandered away from his home for hours on Feb 1. The child, who has autism and is nonverbal, had entered through their side door while the family was away.
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"I never experienced the idea of the community all coming together to find Johnathan, but even in this, they stepped in. There were random people that I've never seen, never known, different walks of life directly messaging me like, 'What can we do?'" Brinkley said.
The Brinkley family is now living in a Troy hotel after an inspector detected a concerning smell in their home. The water damage has made their house uninhabitable.
"Right now, we have no access to either bathroom, the ceiling of the basement caved, that and the walls are knocked down. We have blowers trying to dry out what's going on in the home. It's just ongoing and so we can't exactly stay there right now," Brinkley said.
The family initially thought the smell would dissipate after a few days, but it persisted.
"When they came out, they thought that the scent would eventually make us all sick and we should move on it right away," Brinkley said.
Previous coverage: 'He was sitting in this bath.' Neighbor describes finding missing boy inside his home
Without access to their kitchen and belongings as well as family members looking after their dog, daily life has become challenging for the family of four.
"Food she (his wife) would normally cook, she can't cook right now. It's a lot of those dynamics that we're trying to fight our way through," Brinkley said.
Community members and strangers have rallied to help, raising nearly $5,000 for the family. Krista Skodak from Royal Oak was among those who contributed.
"The least we could do is try to help them when they need help when they were able to inadvertently help in such a big way," Skodak said.
The family's landlord is providing extra time to pay rent while they navigate their next steps. The total cost of repairs remains unknown as the water needs to dry completely before a full assessment can be made.
Despite the challenges, the Brinkley family remains grateful for the outpouring of support.
"This entire process has been tough, but God has held our hands," Brinkley said. "And I hope that people can see the miraculous works of God."
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