The uncle of a little boy who ran away from Moton Elementary School on Tuesday morning is furious about how the situation was handled.
Nick Schillinger is shocked that his 5-year-old nephew was able to get away from Moton elementary.
"If it happened at anyone’s house, that parent would be charged with child neglect. If it happened at a daycare, daycare workers would be arrested," he said.
Christy Collinsworth and Ally Bedson were driving in separate directions when they saw the little boy running toward a busy highway 50, nearly a half mile from the school.
"I feel like God put me in his path because that is not a normal time I come down this road," Collinsworth said.
Both Collinworth and Bedson stopped and were able to catch him and call 911.
"I sat down on the ground with him and he was still very upset and distraught," Collinsworth said.
Hernando County School District gave this statement about with happened:
“On Tuesday, a student did run from the classroom. The teacher immediately notified administration and multiple staff members (including the principal) began a search. Both on foot and by car, the search included the woods, the roads, and a variety of campus locations. The father was immediately notified. While staff continued their search efforts, a motorist was first to locate the student and contacted HCSO. The student was safely returned to school.”
But the motorists who stayed with him say they didn’t see anyone looking for him.
"I am frustrated from the time that I was holding him and waiting for police to come, there had to have been close to 10 minutes pass by while we just sat on the ground with him," Collinsworth said.
The uncle says he’s frustrated by the punishment his nephew was given and says that the school is not taking more responsibility for what happened.
"They suspended the child for three days, that to me just doesn’t make sense. If that alone isn’t trying to put the blame on the child rather than the school, I don’t know what is," Schillinger said.
