Autistic 5-year-old goes missing from Fort Worth school

A 5-year-old autistic boy in Fort Worth is scared to go back to school after he slipped away from the playground and went missing for about two hours.

The kindergartner is physically fine, but emotionally not well after the incident on Thursday.

Even with his mother at his side, walking across the street from his school is unnerving for 5-year-old Jayden.

Mayel Camarena says her son is in a special needs class with severe autism that makes it difficult for him to communicate.

"It was shocking for me to get that news when I thought he was safe in here,” the boy’s mom said.

Jayden walked away from recess at Poynter Elementary and into a wooded area behind the school, and no one was watching. Camarena says her son was missing for about two hours.

"He went through the woods. He went like five miles away from here, walking on his own not knowing where to go,” she said.

A Crowley ISD spokesperson said all the kindergarten classes were out together for recess.

The mother says the principal told her Jayden went through a gap in a fence that's missing a couple of metal rods. This was the second time Jayden has left suddenly.

Camarena says last week before anyone could stop him, her son bolted out of the gym when he saw her SUV waiting to pick him up.

"The male PE teacher came out and got him took him back in,” she said. “He said, ‘I do apologize. That won't happen again.’ And look what happened."

The district released a statement that said the teacher involved in the latest incident was placed on leave until the district finishes an investigation. They said “watching over and protecting students is one of our first responsibilities as educators"

"I want him to be home schooled,” Camarena said. “I won't trust any schools anymore."

Camerena says she's meeting with the principal and teachers next week. She still has lots of questions about how this could happen and especially to learn what's going to be best for her son going forward.