Special needs student hit by car after walking off Bryant Elementary campus unaccompanied
The district said its 'thoughts' are with the family but did not elaborate on what improvements the incident might spur on its campuses.
A 6-year-old special needs student was hospitalized Friday after walking off the Bryant Elementary School campus unaccompanied and getting hit by a car.
Isabella Serrato, who has autism with limited speech, is supposed to have a designated teaching aide with her at all times, according to her family. But on Friday, Sept. 6, she was able to walk off campus alone due to the “school’s negligence,” the family said.
“We are thankful to god she is alive, but is banged up pretty badly,” Betty Baxter, Isabella's aunt, wrote on a GoFundMe page, which reached its $2,500 goal and is no longer accepting donations.
Isabella was hospitalized at Long Beach Memorial and "will need Physical Therapy to recover from her injuries," Baxter added.
Isabella’s dad, Cecilio Serrato, died on June 5, according to Baxter. Having a hard time understanding the loss, she believes Isabella “escaped” in an attempt to get to her dad’s house, which was just up the street on Termino Avenue.
Isabella made it one block to Anaheim Street, where she was struck by a car just before 12:30 p.m., according to Long Beach Police Department spokesperson Alyssa Baeza.
Police say Isabella ran into the street and was struck by a driver traveling eastbound on Anaheim. The driver remained at the scene and cooperated with the police investigation, which is ongoing, Baeza said.
Long Beach Fire Department personnel transported Isabella to Memorial with non-life-threatening injuries to her face and upper body, according to LBPD.
A Long Beach Unified School District spokesperson said the district is “deeply saddened” by the incident, adding that their “thoughts” are with the family.
“The safety and well-being of our students and staff is our top priority, and we are addressing this matter with the utmost care and attention,” the spokesperson said in an email Wednesday. “We are conducting a thorough investigation and will carefully review and strengthen our safety protocols.”
The district did not provide any details as to what improvements would be made or if any staff have been or will be reprimanded for the incident.
“We remain fully committed to learning from this incident and taking all necessary steps to protect our students and their safety,” the spokesperson said.
It's unclear if the family is considering legal action against the school district at this time.
Isabella’s mom, Daisy Campos, is unable to work while she is not in school, Baxter wrote online. And she may be out of school for a while, with the family considering pulling her out of the district.
“We are unsure if Bella will be able to return to LBUSD, as they are unable to properly care for her or ensure her safety,” Baxter wrote. “We refuse to put her at risk by returning her to LBUSD school without necessary changes.”
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