Two Long Island autistic students slip from school grounds within days; 15-year-old fatally struck
Security lapses at two Nassau County schools prompt investigations and calls for accountability after one teen's death
Two autistic students walked off their Long Island school campuses within 48 hours last week, and one of the children was fatally struck while walking along a busy highway, authorities and family members said.
Fifteen-year-old Christopher Williams, a student at the Martin de Porres School for Exceptional Children, slipped away from the campus Thursday around 1 p.m., officials said. Minutes later he was found on the Southern State Parkway near Exit 13 in Valley Stream after being struck and was taken to Long Island Jewish Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Christopher’s sibling, Danecia Lewis, wrote on a family GoFundMe page that the family’s "world was shattered." Lewis said the school called their mother about Christopher’s disappearance and that shortly thereafter a detective called to identify his body. The school’s executive director, Joe Trainor, told local media the community is "heartbroken" and that the school will conduct a top-to-bottom review of its policies to determine what went wrong.
"He was only 15 years old, with his whole life ahead of him," Lewis wrote on GoFundMe. "The school failed him, and now our family is left grieving an unimaginable loss." The family has called for accountability as officials investigate how the student exited the campus unnoticed.
A separate incident occurred a day earlier when a 5-year-old autistic student slipped away from the playground at Riverside Elementary School in Rockville Centre during recess, scaled a fence and walked roughly a half-mile home alone, parents and officials said. The child’s parents, who did not release their names, discovered the child already inside the house when they returned, according to News 12 Long Island.
Rockville Centre school officials said they called police as soon as the child was reported missing, and that officers arrived at the home about 10 minutes after the call. The Rockville Centre School District said in a statement, "The district takes student safety very seriously. We are aware of the incident and are actively investigating."
Both incidents drew sharp concern from parents in Nassau County, who described the episodes as terrifying security lapses given the vulnerabilities of the students involved. Officials in both districts said they are reviewing protocols for supervision and campus security; Martin de Porres’ executive director said the school will examine procedures and policies to determine what changes may be necessary.
Police and school officials have not released detailed timelines or specifics about how the students left the campuses. A detective’s involvement in identifying Christopher’s body indicates law enforcement is handling parts of the response to the fatality. Statements from the schools stressed condolences and the intent to investigate, while family members and community advocates pressed for clearer answers and measures to prevent similar incidents.
The two incidents underscore challenges for educators and administrators who supervise students with special needs, particularly on busy streets and highways near school properties. Authorities said investigations are ongoing and did not provide additional findings or possible disciplinary outcomes as of Friday.
Officials have urged anyone with information about either incident to contact local law enforcement. School and district leaders said they will communicate with families about any changes to safety procedures that result from their reviews.