Simpsonville Parents Demand Changes After Tragic Incident Involving Special Needs Student
Simpsonville, S.C. – Parents in the community are raising serious concerns about the safety policies of the local school system following a heartbreaking incident involving an 8-year-old boy with autism. Lionel Cervantes, a third grader at Bells Crossing Elementary school, was found dead in a pond after he ran away from school on September 12.
His mother, Dalia Cervantes, is advocating for changes to ensure that such a tragedy does not happen again. “I’m here to support you all in the future so that this does not happen again,” she said. Dalia emphasized the need for the school system to protect its special needs students, stating, “It’s not fair if they have special education children or they do or they don’t, we need to fix the school system.”
Alongside Dalia, parents like James Bello and Lauren Tricarico are voicing their apprehensions about sending their own children to school. Their daughter, who is also autistic, is set to begin kindergarten next year. James expressed his fears, saying, “Things need to change… Greenville County has to step up now more than ever.” He added that no parent wants to worry about their child’s safety while at school.
In response to the incident, Greenville County Schools stated that the safety of their 78,000 students is a top priority. They noted that they have a dedicated team working to support students with disabilities. The district mentioned that they are meeting with individual parents to discuss specific plans for their children and are reviewing school procedures to identify possible improvements.
Concerns have been raised about the use of tracking devices, such as Air-Tags and smartwatches, for students known to run away. State officials confirmed that the new state policy includes an exception for students with special needs and medical conditions, allowing for additional measures to ensure their safety throughout the school day.
The tragic event has left a significant impact on the community, prompting many to call for immediate changes to better protect special needs children in schools. Parents are hoping for improvements that will prevent any similar incidents from occurring in the future.
