Parents Demand Answers After Boy With Autism Comes Home With Permanent Marker Scrawled On His Back
BERWYN, Ill. (CBS) -- A boy with autism came home from his school in Berwyn with permanent marker on his back – and his parents want to know who did it.
As CBS 2 Investigator Megan Hickey reported, District 98 is investigating, but the superintendent said she could not provide any information on the case until that investigation is complete.
The boy's family says this is not the first time they have had concerns about his supervision.
Second-grader Gianni Fata-Roden, 8, has limited speech skills. His mom, Lucia Roden, feels like she needs to speak up for him.
"I want to know what the gap is here - how did this happen, you know? I just want answers," Roden said. "Any mom would want answers."
Gianni's mother said her son seemed upset when he got off the school bus Tuesday from Prairie Oak Elementary School. And when he changed his shirt, she understood why.
"Someone had drew on his back of squiggly lines," she said.
The marker was scribbled across Gianni's shoulders and the back of his head. His parents called the school and asked what happened - concerned because he's in a special one-on-one classroom with the highest level of supervision.
"Everybody's just pointing the fingers at each other and nobody's taking responsibility," said Gianni's father, Steven Roden.
The family says this isn't the first time they've noticed gaps in oversight. They got a call a few months ago that his teachers lost him.
Fortunately, he was soon found on a different floor in the building.
"It's a continued pattern over there," Steven Roden said.
The Rodens said they want the district to reassess the plan for supervising its special needs students, so as to make sure that some of the most vulnerable kids feel as safe as they can.
"I am his voice. I have to make sure that it's heard. I need to make sure that his safety is the number one priority, because then I'm not doing my job right," Lucia Roden said. "And I hate this feeling. I hate that I can't trust sending my son to school."
The family also filed a report with the Berwyn Police Department. They were told to expect a follow-up call from the school's principal Wednesday night, but they said so far, no call.
We will, of course, keep following up.
