CHEVERLY, Md. — A family is furious after their 7-year-old son got lost at school on his first day and walked home without anyone realizing.
Caitlynn Camp said she and her husband dropped off their son at Gladys Noon Spellman Elementary on Monday at 11 a.m.
Camp and her husband drove back home. Around 1:30 p.m. their son was outside their home, knocking on the front door.
“Something could have happened to my kid. Something could have hurt him. It’s a major negligence on the school,” Camp said.
The family rushed to the school. They were told their son got lost during lunch and walked out of school looking for the playground. Camp says her son was under the school's care and he should not have been able to walk out of school that easily.
“The don’t think they grasp the gravity of the situation. They neglected my child, whether they admit or not. They neglected my child’s safety,” the mother said.
Camp removed her son from the school and asked what disciplinary action would be taken. Since her son is no longer enrolled, she was told they could not discuss the issue further.
She says she's taking the issue to the Board of Education.
“My child could have lost his life. We need to advocate, policies need to change. Staff need to be hired, security even to make sure students are safe. We want to hold them accountable for their actions,” Camp said.
WUSA 9 reached received a statement from Prince George's County Public Schools:
"The safety and security of students is our top priority. Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) regrets an incident that occurred Monday where a Gladys Noon Spellman Elementary School student left school grounds during school hours."
"We are grateful for school administration and staff who responded promptly and followed protocol upon becoming aware of this incident — and we are relieved and grateful the student remained safe. PGCPS will continue to work diligently towards maintaining safe and supportive learning environments for all students."