New Rochelle Mother Reports Autistic Son's Unsupervised Departure from Elementary School

April Vinson, a mother from New Rochelle, reported that her 5-year-old nonverbal son with autism wandered off unsupervised from Jefferson Elementary School during lunch. She discovered the incident through a tracker app on her phone, which alerted her that her son had left the school grounds for about 10 to 15 minutes, though school officials initially denied any issue. The school later admitted the child had exited through a cafeteria door and was found on a nearby sidewalk, which caused Vinson significant distress given the potential dangers. The school district is investigating the incident and is implementing additional safety measures, including door alert systems and mandatory staff training. Vinson criticized the delayed communication from the school and expressed frustration over what she perceives as a double standard in how the situation was handled compared to other child safety concerns. She has since decided to transfer her son to another school and is urging parents to use tracking devices and trust their instincts to protect their children.