PITTSBURGH — It was a scary experience when a boy with autism walked away from Colfax K-8 school and ended up a mile away on Tuesday.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> 7-year-old student with autism wanders away from a Pittsburgh Public School during recess
Channel 11 first showed you the exclusive surveillance video showing the moment the 7-year-old boy walked up to a retired teacher’s door on busy Beechwood Boulevard.
“I looked around outside and I asked, ‘Are you here with anybody?’ and he said, ‘Nope. I escaped from school,” said Lynn, the retired school teacher who answered the door. “He said he was playing hide and seek and that he apparently told the children that he was going to go as far away as possible, so he wasn’t found. He did a good job.”
Lynn worked with students with autism for over 23 years. She said the boy was sweet and that she calmly welcomed him into her home, and they shared a piece of candy.
“He came in and said, ‘Can I please take off my shoes?’ and I said, ‘Of course, you can take off your shoes.’ He was just sweet,” said Lynn.
She had no idea Colfax staff and police had been searching for the boy for over 45 minutes. She later spoke with the boy’s mom and said she would love to keep in touch with the boy, as they’ve now developed a friendship.
“He just escaped and needed some shelter, and thank goodness he found shelter here,” Lynn said.
She was shocked to see the boy at her door and wondered how he was able to walk away. Channel 11 will continue to ask Pittsburgh Public Schools about that, and if any changes will be made to Colfax’s playground or procedures.
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