Mom blames school for losing autistic son

A Terre Haute mother blames the Vigo County School Corporation for losing her autistic child but after following the chain of events, a mix-up could have happened.

Kira Ray says she picks up her 6-year-old son Ethan from the bus-stop around 2:50 p.m. every afternoon but on Monday, Ethan never showed.
    
Mrs. Ray drove down to the principal's office at Ouabache Elementary searching for answers.

"She's like no he's not here and she calls the transportation department and at this point it's
3:15 p.m. that she's calling the transportation department. She says well there is a substitute on the bus and he's running 15 minutes late,” said Mrs. Ray.
    
At this point, Mrs. Ray says it’s been 45 minutes past Ethan’s drop off time and still no sign of Ethan.

Mrs. Ray says, "If this was my 12-year-old, it wouldn't be as big of an issue, he could have walked home. It’s two, three blocks from Garfield to home; he could tell you this isn't the place I’m supposed to be. Ethan doesn't have that luxury."
    
It's hard for Ethan to communicate because he's autistic says Mrs. Ray. Ethan has a speech and language impairment which makes it hard for him to say he's lost.
    
Mrs. Ray says at this point she started to panic and then her phone rang.

"The daycare called me and says Kira they dropped Ethan off here. Its 3:40 p.m. exactly 3:40 p.m. it’s been 55 minutes that he should have been home. I found out where my kid was from the daycare,” said Mrs. Ray.

The bus dropped Ethan off at Jack in the Box daycare.
    
Mrs. Ray says although Ethan attended that daycare in September, he hadn't been there in over two months.
    
The daycare worker even told the bus driver she didn't recognize him.

Nancy Pine works at Jack in the Box and told News 10 she was the one that cared for Ethan that day.

"This one(the substitute bus driver) was just showing me the paper and I'm like I don't know this kid and I don't know if he's suppose to be here and the bus driver just kept showing me the paper,” said Pine.

The substitute driver told the daycare Ethan's paperwork stated Jack in the Box as his drop-off location.
    
Mrs. Ray says the confusion could have started with paperwork not being updated but she wondered why people didn't ask questions or make more phone calls.

"Someone should have been notified right then and there and said hey this person does not know this kid,” said Pine
    
Mrs. Ray says the whole event scared Ethan and since the incident decided from now on she'll pick up Ethan to avoid future catastrophes.

Mrs. Ray told News 10 she's thankful that the daycare took in her son and called her.
    
The School has since apologized to Mrs. Ray.

Superintendant Danny Tanoos told News 10 the substitute bus driver followed his instructions but should have made more calls and has since been notified.