Found Deceased SC - Lionel Cervantes, 8, Autistic, Non-Verbal, vid 11am going through fence Bells Crossing Elem Schl, Sinpsonville, 12 Sep 2024 *Active Search*

[swanniee11]

Heartbreaking. I never truly realized the danger of water for some until I became a member here (2007). Now it's the first thing I think of and I'm sure everyone else for that matter. So tragic. My prayers are with his family

 

[anicechicken]

Schools aren't built like prisons and student aren't treated like prisoners. It's very sad this happened. He snuck away. Imo

Maybe nitpicking but the same company that designs prisons designs schools in the usa for the most part. They're actually quite reminiscent of little prisons imo

 

[GoBuckeyes]

How did this even happen? He was a little kid, little 8-year-olds aren't supposed to be able to get out of school, we're not talking about teens skipping class. Poor kid, and I can't even imagine what his family is feeling right now.

The doors to a school have to be able to open to the outside. This is a horrible tragedy, but you would be surprised with what teachers and administrators are tasked already. I suppose every exit could be outfitted with an alarm. IDK MOO

This sounds like it happened quickly, as the poor little guy squeezed through a small gap in the fence surrounding the school. It's terribly tragic. But it seems like the school called authorities quickly, and a search was started. My thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and all who were affected by this tragedy.

 

[Lusitana]

Schools aren't built like prisons and student aren't treated like prisoners. It's very sad this happened. He snuck away. Imo

An 8-year-old child shouldn't be able to get out of school like this. This is about safety, he was 8, not 14.

 

[Unalienable Rights]

Mother of missing 2nd grader found dead calls for justice, says school was negligent

After her 8-year-old son's body was found in a pond minutes away from Bell's Crossing Elementary School, Lionel Ramirez Cervantes' mother blames the school.

www.postandcourier.com

SIMPSONVILLE — After her 8-year-old son's body was found in a neighborhood pond at the edge of Bell's Crossing Elementary School, Lionel Ramirez Cervantes' mother is blaming the school and calling for justice.

*****
"I know he is now in a better place, and with his dad," Dalia Cervantes said in a Facebook post. "But my boy did not have to (lose) his life this way. Negligence caused his death. Now (I) am left without my Leo."

The school said in a statement that Lionel Cervantes was in a classroom with two other students and three staff members when he ran away. Multiple staff chased the boy out of the classroom and then out of the building.

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More in linked article. This is incredibly sad. His father died three years ago, and his mom is raising Leo and his four siblings alone.
A vigil was scheduled for 7pm, Sep 13 in Bell's Crossing.

"Yesterday, it was just me and him, not knowing it would have been the last time I would be with him. He told me he loved me," Dalia Cervantes said on Facebook. "I will seek justice for my boy."

 

[RememberingRyan]

Schools are required by fire safety regulations to never have locks on doors or gates that prevent children from leaving the building/playground. In many schools a child can get from their classroom and off of school grounds in less than a minute. Video of how quickly staff noticed and followed will tell us whether there was actual negligence or if this was just unfortunate timing where a child managed to get just enough of a head start to get out of sight before staff could catch up. I think most people would be very surprised to know that elopement from elementary school property tends to happen almost weekly at schools that host Special Education programs, and even more frequently at the start of the school year and right after returns from winter/spring breaks.

 

[lesleyNOPE]

I’m sorry but if there were only 3 children in the classroom and 3 adults there is no way he should have had such a head start that somebody lost him completely which led to him not being found until 4 hours later. Completely unacceptable IMO.

 

[Lusitana]

There is nobody at the door at US schools?

 

[Rikissa]

There is nobody at the door at US schools?

Are there guards/staff at schools in your country?

 

[Lusitana]

Are there guards/staff at schools in your country?

Yes. There is a person that controls who comes in and goes out, it isn't a guard, just a regular civilian employee. Kids swipe their school card when entering and leaving the school everyday.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

At my child's elementary school, no one guards the door. Children could leave through the front door. It's locked to people coming in from outside, though.

The gate to the school-yard isn't locked. People could enter there from the street and children could also leave.

Children who are at risk of eloping typically have an aide in the classroom or outside with them.

However -- it can be difficult for parents and the school to find an aide for every child who qualifies. And if an aide is ill, the child typically stays home too.

They aren't going to pay for someone to guard the door to keep children from running out. It's a small school, in western Europe.

 

[SouthEnd]

At my child's elementary school, no one guards the door. Children could leave through the front door. It's locked to people coming in from outside, though.

The gate to the school-yard isn't locked. People could enter there from the street and children could also leave.

Children who are at risk of eloping typically have an aide in the classroom or outside with them.

However -- it can be difficult for parents and the school to find an aide for every child who qualifies. And if an aide is ill, the child typically stays home too.

They aren't going to pay for someone to guard the door to keep children from running out. It's a small school, in western Europe.

That's a tough one. Where does the responsibility lie?

Growing up in Europe I don't believe we had teachers watching the gates, because I managed to sneak out of my kindergarten twice, only to be returned by random concerned citizens. They didn't even tell my family the second time.

If there were three pupils in the classroom and three staff members, it does boggle the mind that the poor boy was able to escape undetected.

A tragic situation all around. RIP Lionel, too young, far too young...

 

[ChatteringBirds]

That's a tough one. Where does the responsibility lie?

I think responsibility still lies with the school. If a child left the school and tragedy occurred here, they would investigate and determine if the teacher(s) or aides in charge of that child at the time (whether a classroom teacher or those in charge on the playground) was/were negligent. I am not sure what would happen if the child "snuck out" and not sure what the ultimate determination would be.

I have actually heard of teachers being held responsible criminally --for example, a child was "accidentally" left behind on an outing and drowned. However this case may be very different, depending on what happened in those critical moments with his aide, IMO.

 

[Skigh]

That's a tough one. Where does the responsibility lie?

Growing up in Europe I don't believe we had teachers watching the gates, because I managed to sneak out of my kindergarten twice, only to be returned by random concerned citizens. They didn't even tell my family the second time.

If there were three pupils in the classroom and three staff members, it does boggle the mind that the poor boy was able to escape undetected.

A tragic situation all around. RIP Lionel, too young, far too young...

Maybe another pupil was doing something which required the other adults attention . Another pupil having a meltdown might have upset Leo and caused him to run.

 

[Lusitana]

At my child's elementary school, no one guards the door. Children could leave through the front door. It's locked to people coming in from outside, though.

The gate to the school-yard isn't locked. People could enter there from the street and children could also leave.

Children who are at risk of eloping typically have an aide in the classroom or outside with them.

However -- it can be difficult for parents and the school to find an aide for every child who qualifies. And if an aide is ill, the child typically stays home too.

They aren't going to pay for someone to guard the door to keep children from running out. It's a small school, in western Europe.

This is happening in WESTERN EUROPE? That's crazy, I'm sorry you have to deal with that.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

This is happening in WESTERN EUROPE? That's crazy, I'm sorry you have to deal with that.

It's a theoretical risk (someone dangerous entering the school from the back or a child sneaking out during a bathroom break or recess), but isn't that true at all schools? Maybe I just don't know how some schools are nowadays.

 

[Lusitana]

It's a theoretical risk (someone dangerous entering the school from the back or a child sneaking out during a bathroom break or recess), but isn't that true at all schools? Maybe I just don't know how some schools are nowadays.

Random people being able to get inside school grounds from the street? No, it's not normal.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Random people being able to get inside school grounds from the street? No, it's not normal.

So most schools are surrounded by a locked fence? Well someone said above Lionel got through a gap in the fence, which I agree shouldn't be a real possibility at an elementary school, but schools didn't used to be so secure, and they would need to retro-fix every school out there to change that.

In Lionel's case, do we know if one of the staff members was assigned to just him, or did they all just help with all of the children?

 

[Rikissa]

Random people being able to get inside school grounds from the street? No, it's not normal.

In some cities in Sweden seniors (65+) can eat lunch at school lunchrooms for a small charge (all children in Sweden have free lunch). So people can walk in from the street here.

 

[Lusitana]

So most schools are surrounded by a locked fence? Well someone said above Lionel got through a gap in the fence, which I agree shouldn't be a real possibility at an elementary school, but schools didn't used to be so secure, and they would need to retro-fix every school out there to change that.

In Lionel's case, do we know if one of the staff members was assigned to just him, or did they all just help with all of the children?

Yes, they are surrounded by a fence. In elementary school, there are employees tasked with watching the kids at the playground.

In some cities in Sweden seniors (65+) can eat lunch at school lunchrooms for a small charge (all children in Sweden have free lunch). So people can walk in from the street here.

If they're charging them, then they're not randomly going into the school.