Mother Calls Son's School Escape a 'Horror Movie'

A mother in Oregon described the surveillance footage of her autistic, five-year-old son wandering out of Grout Elementary School and into traffic as a "horror movie." Erin McDonald-Wentzell told KOIN 6 that her son, Ginsburg, who is non-verbal, escaped from the school's playground on September 9.

The surveillance video, which McDonald-Wentzell reviewed, showed Ginsburg leaving through an open gate and proceeding to Holgate Boulevard. The mother described the footage as akin to watching "a horror movie playing in slow motion because you can see exactly what’s happening and not being able to stop it."

Around 9:42 a.m. on the day of the incident, officials received multiple 911 calls reporting a child crossing the boulevard. Officers were dispatched, and the report was cleared by 9:47 a.m. after a caller stated the child was with a school principal.

McDonald-Wentzell claimed the footage showed Ginsburg outside for four minutes, followed by a five-minute gap. "There was a breach and then there were lots of point where he was just not being paid attention to," she said.

Portland Public Schools (PPS) stated that the entire ordeal lasted only four minutes and cited staffing challenges as a factor in the school's response. McDonald-Wentzell disputed this account, saying, "That would be a completely valid conversation, and this would’ve been done by now. That’s not what happened."

McDonald-Wentzell has kept Ginsburg home from school for nearly two weeks as she seeks answers. "We want our son back in school, and we really just would love transparency," she said.

This was not the first time Ginsburg had left the school grounds. He previously reached the street on September 3 before being brought back by school staff.

Despite the incident, McDonald-Wentzell found a glimmer of hope in her son's actions. "I saw hope because I saw my son know where to navigate when he realized that something was wrong," she told KOIN 6. "I saw him navigate to the doors and wait for help, and I saw him looking for helpers."

PPS informed KOIN 6 that a new safety plan for Ginsburg has been implemented. The district also issued a statement: "At Portland Public Schools, the health and safety of every student is our highest priority." The statement continued, "After reviewing what occurred at Grout Elementary, we took immediate steps to reinforce safety procedures and put additional safeguards in place. We remain committed to providing a safe, secure and supportive learning environment for every student."

The Daily Mail has contacted PPS and the Grout Elementary Principal for comment.