The Fort Worth Independent School District is addressing concerns raised by a mother who claimed that her seven-year-old son was locked inside a classroom without anyone’s knowledge.
LaTissue Wallace went to Eastern Hills Elementary School last Thursday to pick up her son, Junior, along with his cousin, as part of their usual routine.
“On this particular occasion, they only brought her out. So, after waiting, I went back to the door, and I was like, ‘Where is Junior?’ And they were like, ‘We’re waiting, we’re calling for him,'” Wallace recounted.
As minutes passed without Junior appearing, Wallace grew increasingly concerned. She was informed by her son’s teacher that Junior had supposedly run ahead of the class at dismissal. Worried, Wallace decided to search for him herself.
“At this point, I felt like I needed to go find him,” she expressed. “So, I went up and down the stairs.”
Wallace reached her son’s locked classroom and looked inside the window, where she spotted his backpack and lunchbox.
She then contacted the assistant principal, who summoned a janitor for the classroom keys. By this time, approximately 30 minutes had elapsed, prompting Wallace to start recording the situation with her cell phone.
The cell phone footage, shared with NBC 5, shows an administrator unlocking the door, revealing Wallace’s son inside the classroom, apparently asleep.
NBC 5 reached out to Fort Worth ISD for clarification on the incident and inquired about school dismissal protocols.
The district responded with the following statement:
“The Fort Worth ISD is aware of the video at issue, and we are conducting a thorough investigation into this isolated incident.”
Wallace expressed dissatisfaction with the response, emphasizing the fear and concern she experienced.
“He’s seven years old, so it was very scary,” she said. “It would have taken just a few seconds to check that classroom.”
Wallace emphasized her desire for accountability and reassurance that such an incident will not recur.
