Missing

Missing.  This is a word that no parent ever wants to hear.  But we did.  We were told that our middle son, Benjamin was missing.  Benjamin is our 7yr old who is Autistic, has OCD, Anxiety and Sensory Integration disorder. 

We told Ben and his teacher that we would be picking him up at the end of the day on thursday and that we would all meet in the office.  They said great he will meet you there.  His other siblings came but Ben never did.  They searched the buses 3 times.  No Ben.  They called the bus company to search the buses 2 times.  No Ben.  All pages thru the school.  No Ben.  All of us looking all over the school and playground.  No Ben.  Looking in parked car windows.  No Ben.  Finally after 45 minutes of no Ben the principal and I called the police.  8 or 9 police showed up. 

Did I mention it was 50 degrees, pouring rain, and Ben was last seen in shorts and a tshirt?  He's only 45ish lbs, skin and bones.

Finally after an hr of searching my nurse called and said that Ben made it home.  He had gotten on the wrong bus and then since it was raining he said the windows were so foggy that he couldn't see anything so he didn't know where he was and where he was going.  He said that he heard his name over the loud speaker and that he tried to talk back but that we couldn't hear him. 

The school openly admits to dropping the ball.  Police reports were filed as well as reports with the district.  Currently they are having someone walk Ben straight to and from his bus and we will be meeting on Wednesday to discuss a permanent plan.

I hope to never hear those words again.