EL PASO, TEXAS (KFOX14/CBS4) — Questions about student safety have emerged after a young boy with autism was found alone in the middle of a street, nearly a block away from Purple Heart Elementary.
The incident happened on Thursday, December 18, near Purple Heart Elementary School. Sisters Lucy and Josie Lopez say they were driving along Andrew Wiseman Street off of Rich Beam when they spotted the elementary-age boy.
“So I felt bad for him, my heart went out to him,” said Josie Lopez. “I was just deeply concerned because he could have ended up in anybody’s car.”
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“I think what’s scary is that there was a little boy in the middle of the street that didn’t have anybody around him,” Lopez added. “I think he was lost and he was scared.”
Lucy Lopez said she immediately pulled over to help.
“I just pulled over, put the car in park, and got out to get him,” she said. “I was scared because we don’t want another incident to happen — especially because he was little.”
The sisters drove the boy back to Purple Heart elementary school, where staff initially did not recognize him as a student.
“When I approached the school, one of the assistant principals said that she didn’t even know who this kid was,” Lucy Lopez said.
It wasn’t until later, according to the sisters, that a nurse and a teacher identified the child.
To better understand how far the child had traveled on his own, the sisters showed KFOX14/CBS4 where they found him.
“He was about at the entrance of the speed limit sign,” Josie Lopez said. “That’s about 800 feet from the school.”
KFOX14/CBS4 reached out to Socorro Independent School District by phone and email, asking how the student was able to leave campus unnoticed and how long he was unaccounted for.
In a statement the Socorro school district said it was aware of the incident, stating,
The district is aware of an incident that occurred prior to the winter break in which an elementary student left campus without authorization. The student was safely returned to the school, and the matter was immediately addressed by campus and district staff.
The student’s family was notified in accordance with district practice. Because this incident involves a specific student, the district cannot share additional details.
Student safety remains a top priority at Socorro ISD. The incident was reviewed in accordance with district procedures, and appropriate steps were taken to address the situation and reinforce campus supervision and safety protocols.
However, the district did not address our questions as to how the student was able to leave campus unnoticed or how long he was unaccounted for.
Josie Lopez expressed concern over the incident, saying, “There’s so many scenarios that could have happened. So I think the safety of the kid really needs to be addressed by the school and some reassurance needs to be given to the public.”
The district has not confirmed whether an investigation is underway or if any changes have been made since the incident.