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Boy with autism found after going missing during recess at Sharon school, leaving mother enraged

Mother outraged after son is found after going missing during recess in Sharon
Mother outraged after son is found after going missing during recess in Sharon 02:29

SHARON - A Massachusetts mother is demanding answers after her young son with autism went missing during recess at his school and was found a couple of blocks away.

Boy went missing after recess

"Where is he? How did this happen? Who was he with?" Alexandria Belcher said she went into a panic when her son's elementary school in Sharon lost track of her 6-year-old son, Matthew.

Belcher said she got a call from the Cottage Street School principal Tuesday afternoon.

"He began to tell me that when the kids were transitioning from recess back inside, they lost track of Matthew," said Belcher. Matthew has autism and sometimes has trouble communicating. "Because he is level three, he has high needs autism so he needs a one-on-one aide. And this aide is supposed to be with him throughout the day, lunchtime, recess, but yesterday, she failed my son."

When the aide realized Matthew wasn't in the classroom, Belcher said the school called 911. An ambulance found Matthew safe a couple of blocks away on Billings Street a short time later but Belcher said she didn't get the call about this until about an hour after Matthew went missing.

"You are instantly enraged, scared"

"I think as a parent who has a child with special needs, you are instantly enraged, scared," said Belcher.

The Sharon mother is now asking for accountability from the school and despite calls and emails for answers, she said she isn't giving up.

"How are professionals who do this every day, who work with children who have autism and all types of special needs, lose a child like that?" said Belcher.

She hopes that by sharing her story and her frustration, the school will put better safeguards in place.

"What are we going to do to prevent this from happening to my son again?" said Belcher.

WBZ-TV reached out to the Sharon superintendent for comment but did not hear back.

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