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Boy OK after Walking Away from School Unnoticed

Boy OK after Walking Away from School Unnoticed
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By West Kentucky Star Staff
Dec. 13, 2018 | MURRAY
By West Kentucky Star Staff Dec. 13, 2018 | 04:19 PM | MURRAY
A Murray family is choosing to focus on the positive side of things after their child managed to walk away from the campus of Murray Middle School without being noticed by school staff.

On December 4, the child, who is has special needs and hasn't been identified, left class and was spotted by passerby Jakese Roberson, who took the boy to a nearby hospital. Someone from the school eventually came to escort the child back to class.

The family is "very thankful for Mr. Roberson for what he did in helping their child," according to attorney Chip Adams, a family friend who spoke on their behalf to West Kentucky Star. 

When contacted about the incident, the Murray Independent School district issued a statement, saying teachers and staff began searching for the student within five minutes of when he walked away, and contacted the family within minutes. Superintendent Coy Samons said the boy was found after 10-15 minutes. 

The statement said school staff met with the child's parents to discuss what happened and how to keep him and other students safe in the future. 

Adams said the family is also pleased with the response from the school following the incident, and there are no plans for any legal action.

"We're trying to be part of the solution, not part of the problem," Adams said. 

The family's only quibble, according to Adams, was with a television station that chose to use someone's cell phone video of the child in their reporting of the incident. He said the family's request for privacy was not honored.


Here is the full statement from Coy Samons, Murray Independent School District Superintendent:
 
On Tuesday, December 04, 2018, a special needs student was able to leave the classroom and Murray Middle School Campus undetected.  In less than five minutes, the teacher and staff began to search for student. The student was unaccounted for approximately ten to fifteen minutes.  To our understanding, less than a block from the school campus, an individual found the student and escorted the child to a local hospital facility. The teacher and Safety Resource Officer ( SRO) returned the child to school grounds. 
The school’s response was immediate and contacted the family within minutes. A meeting between the parents and school officials was held to discuss the situation, and future plans to insure the child’s safety. The school and district staff will continue to examine school safety procedures and areas that may need improvement.  Student safety is a top priority of the Murray Independent School District.
 
(All Safety Resource Officers are employees of the Murray Police Department)
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