An El Paso family is demanding answers after their 8-year-old son with autism slipped away from Desertaire Elementary, left campus unnoticed, and was found hours later walking near the family’s home. The boy was dropped off at school in the morning and discovered by his father roughly two miles away about three hours later, a scare that has parents and neighbors suddenly questioning just how secure the campus really is.
Moises and Lucia Sosa say they left their son at Desertaire around 7:35 a.m. His father, who works overnight, told reporters he later spotted the child pacing outside their home at about 10 a.m. The family says they immediately called the school, and that the principal, a security guard, and a teacher did not show up at the house until a couple of hours after that first phone call. The Sosas have since filed a police report and say their son will not return to class until they receive clear assurances about his safety, as reported by KFOX14.
The family shared home-surveillance video with reporters that appears to show the tense exchange at their front door when school officials came by. In one clip, the principal is heard telling the parents, "I don't know what to tell you...I don't know." In another, a Ysleta ISD security guard tells administrators that the door the child appears to have used "doesn't have a lock." That footage has become central to the Sosas’ push for answers, according to KFOX14.
District Response And The Law
Ysleta ISD told reporters it is "aware of the situation and is taking appropriate administrative action" and said the emergency-egress gate the student used is operational. The district added that it is cooperating with authorities. Under Texas Administrative Code §61.1031, gateways and perimeter hardware on school instructional facilities must be maintained and, when gated, must include emergency-egress features that allow people to exit without special tools or keys.
Autism And Supervision Concerns
Advocates point out that children on the autism spectrum can face a higher risk of wandering or elopement, especially when routines are disrupted or supervision breaks down. That reality has put fresh focus on how schools monitor students who need more structured support and predictable transitions throughout the day. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, increased screening and identification have contributed to growing demand for consistent support in school settings.
What Parents Are Asking For
The Sosa family says their son will stay home until district and campus leaders present specific steps to protect him, and they are considering other schooling options, including homeschooling. Their decision to file a police report has added urgency to the conversation in the neighborhood. Other parents and nearby residents say the incident highlights the need for stronger campus checks and quicker, clearer communication whenever a child is unaccounted for.
Ysleta ISD has not provided further operational details beyond its initial statement, and the family says it is still waiting to learn whether the district will adjust procedures, retrain staff, or make changes to locks and gates around the campus. For now, the Sosas say they simply want transparency and a concrete plan before their son sets foot inside Desertaire Elementary again.
