Two Clear Creek ISD parents are now looking for accountability after their 5-year-old son managed to break away from class and walked all the way home during school hours on Friday.
The boy, Xander Gonzales, was caught on the parents’ RING video wandering in front of the home. His parents, Anthony and Barbee Gonzales, said they were shocked, but ultimately relieved that their son was unharmed and home safe.
“In our family, we don’t use the word luck. We use the word blessed,” Anthony said.
Anthony and Barbee feel blessed to have a big family: 11-year-old Andrew, 9-year-old Amri, 5-year-old Xander, 3-year-old Benjamin, and 1-year-old Joshua.
“We strongly believe in having a big family and raising them right. We want to make sure they’re cared for, and we don’t want this to happen to anyone’s family,” Anthony said.
So, what happened Friday morning at Whitcomb Elementary took them by surprise.
“I was completely in shock,” Barbee said. “We shouldn’t have to worry about the safety of our children while they’re at school.”
Friday around 10:30 am, the parents said their child was outside for a class activity. After the activity, parents said they were told the children were rewarded with a few minutes of playtime. After a completed roll call outside with all students accounted for, the students headed inside. The parents said they were told that’s when Xander ran away.
Clear Creek ISD stated to KPRC 2:
The Clear Creek Independent School is conducting a thorough review of the safety protocols at Whitcomb Elementary following an incident where a student eloped from an outdoor activity on Friday.
The details of the incident are under investigation. What we know right now is the class was outside and within the fencing of the school. The teacher lined the students up to return and took attendance. All students were present. While the class was walking back into the school, which involved an area that is outside of the perimeter fencing, the student ran away. As soon as the teacher realized the student was not with the group, she notified campus administration and a full search began. The child was located at home, safe.
This, understandably, is an upsetting situation for all involved. Clear Creek ISD will take measures to make sure this does not happen again and will keep families informed of changes to outdoor learning protocols.
Xander ended up walking away and eventually more than half a mile home.
“It’s like a 12-minute walk,” Anthony said.
Passing the bayou and several blocks, alone, the parents said Xander was able to recognize his way home.
“I know that it was God controlling the situation,” Barbee said.
Barbee, who was home working, running errands, and taking care of the younger children, said she got a notification on her phone.
“I had to do a double-take. ‘Oh my God, that’s my kid!’” she said.
The video captured a man in a truck, who the parents said happened to be another teacher who was driving nearby, spot Xander.
“He just so happened to see my son,” Anthony explained.
The parents said the teacher had spotted Xander and followed him for a bit, seeing him head to the home, and asked Xander what home that was. The parents said Xander told the man it was his mother’s home. Barbee ran to the door.
“He’s supposed to be at school!” she said in the RING video.
Xander was unharmed.
“That’s kind of when I broke down. He was scared shaking and crying,” Barbee said.
The district and principal apologized several times, the parents said.
“Anyone at the district will tell you, I’m all about trying to find solutions and to help,” Anthony said.
Despite the school’s apologies, the parents said they want to see accountability and actions made to ensure the safety of all students.
“I really feel like it is my responsibility to make sure that these things get addressed,” Barbee.
“This is unacceptable. We need to have accountability. We need to have answers and action,” Anthony said. “Just tighten things up with security, with safety measures, with safety plans.”
The parents said they will continue to keep the district accountable so that what happened to them doesn’t happen to anyone else.
“(The other teacher) just so happened to be driving by. He just so happened to see my son when he was turning on our street. That’s another thing too. Thank God it was a teacher who saw my son and not a predator,” Anthony said.