Kindergarteners leave school unattended

Parents say son left school without anyone knowing

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – A St. Augustine mother is questioning the St. Johns County School Board after she said her 5-year-old was allowed to walk home alone from school last week by himself.

Two kindergartners walked out of Osceola Elementary school unattended Friday. According to their families the kids told the school nurse they didn't feel well and then decided to walk home. The 5-year-olds were able to leave school without anyone noticing.

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"Honestly, we were driving up the driveway. I said 'That looks like Jonathan,'" said one boy's mother, Tania Tappen. "I went to say 'cute' when I realized it was Jonathan and I flipped."

"We were kind of shocked," said his father, Kit Tappen. "So we asked him, 'how did you get home?' and he said 'well we walked home.'"

The Tappen's said after they found Jonathan and a girl from his class they immediately went back to Osceola Elementary. The Tappen's said when they arrived at the school, officials told them that Jonathan had complained about an earache, went to see the school nurse, who sent him back to class, then Jonathan told his teacher he was going home.

"Thank God these two kids were okay, but it could have been bad in so many different ways it ain't even funny," said Kit Tappen.

In a statement, the school district said: "We are reviewing why proper procedures were not followed and appropriate action will be taken when all the details are compiled. The safety of our students is paramount."