BOSTON — A mother is demanding answers from Boston Public Schools after she says her 5‑year‑old son — who has autism and is non‑verbal — walked out of Trotter Elementary School without anyone noticing.
The mother, Keyshia, of Roxbury, tells Boston 25 News that her son is supposed to receive one‑on‑one support throughout the school day. She believes a lack of proper supervision led to the frightening incident.
Keyshia says she received a call from the school’s principal on Tuesday informing her that her first‑grade son had walked out of a side door. According to the mother, staff brought the child to the bathroom, left him there alone, and he later wandered into the hallway.
An incident report reviewed by Boston 25 News states that a paraprofessional “transitioned [the child] from the bathroom to the hallway area outside his classroom,” but then “left him unattended while she brought two other students to the bathroom.”
School surveillance footage reportedly shows the boy walking toward a stairwell before slipping out the door.
Boston Public Schools says the child was outside the building for approximately four minutes, but Keyshia disputes that timeline. She says she has no plans to send her son back until she gets clarity on what happened.
“They’re trying to sweep it under the rug like he was fine,” she said. “They never knew my child was missing — and he’s in a special class with a one‑to‑one. It’s impossible.”
Keyshia added, “You put my kid’s life in danger. Anything could’ve happened.”
In a statement, a BPS spokesperson said, “The safety and well-being of our students is always our priority, and we apologize to the family for the distress this situation has caused.”
The district says its investigation into the incident remains ongoing.
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