“Fiona and Tom Selwyn are living every parent’s worst nightmare in losing their son Luke,” close friend Chantelle Jary told The Gazette.

“They need to concentrate on their grief and not worry about where the next pay cheque is coming from.

“We’re asking that everyone help the Selwyn family by donating a few dollars to help them during this emotional time.”

The tragedy for the Selwyns unfolded last Thursday, when six-year-old Luke walked out of the family’s home through two locked doors and went for a walk with his dog.

Ben the labrador returned, but Luke didn’t.

His body was found at 12.30am in a dam on a property neighbouring his Uworra Road home.

Mrs Jary said together with Luke’s brother Jared, 4, and sister Jessica, 9, the Selwyns were a close knit family.

She described Luke as “a lovely little soul” who enjoyed nature, animals and collecting sticks.

“Everyone who knew him is devastated and our hearts are breaking for Fiona and Tom,” she said.

“He loved big, firm squishy hugs as tight as tight could be, to get the sensory pressure he needed constantly.”

Mrs Jary, who has two autistic children herself, said parents caring for autistic children often couldn’t hold regular jobs because of the attention their children needed.

“A lot of their [the Selwyn’s] time was taken up with fitting in all the therapies and simply looking after Luke,” she said.

“There is little financial support for families in this situation, which is why we want to help the Selwyns. Tom and Fiona did anything they could for their kids, like all of us who are in this situation do.”

The Luke Selwyn benefit account bank details are:

Bendigo Bank North Richmond

Luke Selwyn Benefit Account

BSB: 633000 ACC: 139544662