A local mother says a school miscommunication put her son's safety in jeopardy this week.
Corrin Rosales contacted ABC Action News after her 6-year-old son, who suffers from autism, was left on the side of the road with no way to get home.
Aiden was mistakenly put on the school bus instead of the car pick-up line Tuesday at Tampa Bay Boulevard Elementary.
The bus driver dropped the first grader off at the intersection of MacDill Ave. and Abdella St.
"He does have sensory issues, so if a car comes by, he typically covers his ears and he could haul right in front of the car," said Rosales.
The child wandered down the street alone, confused about how to get home for nearly 30 minutes before a neighbor, Jose Churruca, took the boy in and called the school to report him lost.
"It's the most gut-wrenching feeling to be told your child is missing," said Rosales.
Last week, Rosales requested that her children be picked up from school by a family member and are not allowed to take the school bus home.
The Hillsborough County School District says staff at Tampa Bay Boulevard Elementary are taking full responsibility for the mix-up.
"The school needs to make sure that they relay every bit of information that a parent needs to have to those people that are involved," said Tanya Arja with Hillsborough County Schools. "So, to the teachers or to the staff at a bus line or a car line."
School administrators promised that kind of miscommunication will not happen again.
We are told the principal personally walked both Aiden and his sister to the car pick-up lane Wednesday to ensure they went home with their grandmother.
"Luckily, my son was found and he was out of harm's way, but it could have been worse, he could be missing still," said Rosales.
