Credit: gardener41, FlickrThe intersection of mental health care, family guardianship, and theme park security rarely makes headlines, but a recently released Orange County Sheriff’s report reveals a troubling incident that highlights gaps in how vulnerable adults navigate both residential care systems and public spaces. In May 2024, a 23-year-old man with autism and other mental health needs left his New Jersey group home without permission, took multiple Uber rides to Orlando, and ended up stranded at Walt Disney World after running out of money. The incident, which took months to come to public attention due to delayed report release, raises uncomfortable questions about the challenges facing families with adult children who have special needs, the limitations of law enforcement intervention, and the responsibilities of hospitality businesses when guests require assistance beyond standard customer service.
The delayed release of the incident report explains why this story is surfacing now, several months after the events unfolded. While the situation was ultimately resolved with the individual returning home, his mother recently revealed he has left again and returned to Florida, suggesting the underlying issues remain unaddressed. For families navigating similar circumstances, this case illuminates the frightening reality of what can happen when an adult with special needs has the physical capability to travel independently but lacks the judgment or support systems to do so safely.
The Journey from New Jersey to Orlando
Adam Castro was 23 years old and living in a residential group home in New Jersey when he decided to travel to Disney World to celebrate his birthday. According to the Orange County Sheriff’s incident report, Castro has autism and other mental health issues that require daily medication and supervised care. Despite these needs, he managed to leave the facility and arrange transportation to Florida through rideshare services.
The residential home reported him as an endangered person to local New Jersey police, recognizing the risks associated with Castro being on his own without his necessary medications or support structure. This wasn’t Castro’s first attempt at using rideshares for unauthorized long-distance travel to Florida, according to information provided to law enforcement.
Castro booked a room at Disney’s All-Star Resort on May 8 and stayed there for several days. His mother, Amina Castro, who lives in New Jersey and has court-monitored guardianship of her son, had been putting money on his debit card. When the All-Star Resort became fully booked and Castro needed to find alternative accommodations, he moved to Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort.
When the Money Ran Out
On May 12, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office received a call to the lobby of Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. Castro couldn’t afford to pay for a room, and Disney staff needed assistance handling the situation. What initially appeared to be a straightforward matter of helping a guest secure lodging quickly became more complicated as deputies learned about Castro’s circumstances.
“Initial assistance to Adam was focused on facilitating his ability to secure a room at a resort for the evening, however, as our engagement with Adam continued further information regarding his circumstances of being in Central Florida came to light,” the incident report stated.
An employee from Castro’s New Jersey group home contacted the Orange County Sheriff’s Office to express concern that Castro was experiencing a mental health crisis. The employee also warned that Castro was unlikely to return to New Jersey on his own and cautioned deputies that he was not being honest with law enforcement about his situation.
Legal and Practical Limitations
Law enforcement faced significant constraints in how they could intervene. The sheriff’s report, which was partially redacted, indicated that Castro refused to go to a mental health facility. Deputies determined they couldn’t Baker Act him because he didn’t meet the criteria of being an immediate danger to himself or others.
The Baker Act is Florida’s mental health law that allows for involuntary examination of individuals who may be a harm to themselves or others due to mental illness. Without meeting those specific legal thresholds, authorities had limited options for compelling Castro to accept help or return home, despite his mother’s distress and the group home’s concerns.
Castro told deputies that his mother approved of him being in Florida. However, the group home employee painted a different picture, stating that his mother “is in crisis attempting to secure a Florida attorney to assist with returning Adam to New Jersey.”
Disney’s Response and Resolution
As the situation unfolded, Disney offered Castro a complimentary one-night stay at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. This gesture provided immediate temporary relief but didn’t resolve the underlying problem of Castro having no means to return home or plans for what would happen after that single night.
Disney subsequently informed Castro that he would be trespassed from the property if he remained without booking and paying for a room. This standard policy protects the resort from liability and ensures paying guests have access to accommodations, but it left Castro without clear next steps.
According to the sheriff’s report, Castro told deputies he planned to return to New Jersey via Amtrak in two days but lacked the financial resources to purchase a ticket. He also had no lodging arrangements or concrete plans for the interim period.
Somehow, Castro made his way to Orlando International Airport, got on a bus, and eventually returned home to New Jersey, according to his mother. The exact details of how this return trip was arranged and funded remain unclear from available reports.
The Ongoing Struggle
When contacted by WDWNT in relation to this story, Amina Castro revealed that her son has since left home again and returned to Florida. She expressed deep frustration with the situation and the challenges of getting information about her son’s whereabouts from authorities.
“I’ve been praying to God for someone to help,” she said. “I know I’m not the only one – a parent, what you go through with an autistic kid.”
Castro believes her son is currently staying at a treatment center, though she notes he doesn’t have an addiction requiring such placement. She described feeling blamed for the situation while fearing for her son’s safety and uncertain about when he might come home. The fact that Castro has court-monitored guardianship of her adult son yet still faces these challenges highlights the complex legal and practical realities families navigate when caring for adults with special needs.
“Nobody knows what to do. They blame me,” she said.
Systemic Questions Without Easy Answers
This incident reveals uncomfortable gaps in systems designed to protect vulnerable adults. Castro possessed the physical capability and basic financial resources to travel independently, yet lacked the judgment or support needed to do so safely. Residential group homes face limitations in preventing residents from leaving. Law enforcement cannot intervene without meeting specific legal criteria. Theme park resorts must balance guest assistance with business operations and liability concerns.
Families like the Castros face an impossible situation where their adult children have legal rights to freedom of movement but may lack the capacity to exercise those rights safely. The court-monitored guardianship Amina Castro holds over her son apparently wasn’t sufficient to prevent him from leaving care or to quickly facilitate his return when he became stranded.
If your family is dealing with similar challenges, you’re not facing this alone, even though it probably feels that way. Reach out to autism advocacy organizations, connect with support groups for parents of adults with special needs, and document everything when incidents occur. Push for clearer protocols from residential facilities about notification and response when residents leave without authorization. And if you’re reading this because you work in hospitality, law enforcement, or social services, please remember that situations like this require more than standard procedures. These are real families in crisis who need coordinated, compassionate responses that current systems often aren’t equipped to provide.