A year after losing her 7-year-old daughter to drowning in a West Chester Township retention pond, Mika Forte is channeling grief into action.

Forte is launching Mar'Dasia's Bright Light Foundation, a nonprofit aimed at providing after-school programs and summer camps for children with autism and neurodivergent conditions in Butler County. Mar'Dasia Forte, who was nonverbal and autistic, drowned in a West Chester Township retention pond in June 2025.

"It was a rough year, but I am still here, and I'm hanging on, and I am determined to make something positive out of that," Forte told FOX19 in a report published Monday, July 13.

Forte said she knew from the start that something had to come from the tragedy. The foundation's mission, she said, is to fill gaps in local support for families raising autistic children by offering structured learning, social skills groups, sensory-friendly activities, and individualized support for school-aged kids.

The foundation's tagline: "Where every child's light is seen."

Forte remembered Mar'Dasia for her infectious laugh and bright smile. She said the foundation will keep her daughter's legacy alive, telling FOX19 she hopes it endures long after she is gone.

Not an isolated tragedy

Mar'Dasia's death was not isolated. FOX19 reported in June 2025 that her drowning was the second death of a child with autism in a body of water in West Chester in less than a year.

In November 2024, 6-year-old Joshua Al-Lateef Jr. drowned near his West Chester home. His mother, Jonisa Cook, created the Joshua Al-Lateef Jr. Foundation in March 2025 to connect families with autism support services, including swim lesson scholarships. More than 300 families were on the waitlist for those scholarships as of early 2025, according to WCPO.

Drowning is the leading cause of death for children and adults with autism, according to the American Red Cross, as cited in WCPO's reporting on the Cook family's foundation.

Looking ahead

The foundation has not announced a launch date for its first programs. Forte said she hopes to eventually expand the model beyond Butler County so other communities can replicate what she builds here.

"I want to help all of the children, I wish I could, but I am going to start here," she told FOX19.

Families interested in learning more can visit the Mar'Dasia's Bright Light Foundation Facebook page or email [email protected].

How to get involved

Residents who want to support local efforts for families of autistic children can reach out: