VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Tricia Hall teared up as she remembered the more than one hour she had to go through without knowing where her son was. “The bus was gone, and no one called me about anything that’s happening,” said Hall, who spoke exclusively with Channel 9. “I’m disappointed and angry because, on my part, I do everything that’s necessary for him to make sure he’s safe. And the people who are paid to do that don’t seem to do it.”
7-year-old Ace has autism and is mostly nonverbal. His mother says he left South Daytona Elementary around 1:45 pm. Instead of going home, Tricia says he got off on his own, near Clyde Morris Boulevard - more than five miles away from where the family lives. “I’m looking at the track; maybe it is going to turn around, but then it just kept going,” Hall said. It wasn’t until after 3 p.m. that she finally got a phone call from a stranger. “She asked if I knew a kid named Ace, and I said yes. Then she said he’s ok, he’s with me. Then she said where she was at.”
The whole time, Hall said she was worried about all the possible things that could have happened to Ace. “I know my son. I know he runs away at times, and he likes the water. If you’re calm with him, he might just go away with you, things like that,” the mother detailed. “It’s not necessarily that he would have died, but what if he would just be in this world alone? Or if he was thirsty or hungry?”
Drowning is a constant concern for parents – according to the National Autism Association, autistic kids are 160 times as likely to die from drowning as the general pediatric population. Just last year, 34 autistic children drowned in Florida. So far, in 2025, there have already been eight similar cases. “How did you not notice? This child walks on your bus and walks off your bus, and you guys were supposed to have every single child badge there,” she said. “So that means. People are just not doing their jobs.
Volusia County Schools released the following statement to Channel 9:
Volusia County Schools is aware of a transportation-related incident that occurred on Wednesday involving a student at South Daytona Elementary.
The situation is currently under review by the district’s Professional Standards department. While we cannot discuss individual student matters, we take all concerns regarding student safety seriously and are committed to thoroughly reviewing the circumstances.
Channel 9 also spoke with the person who found little Ace; the woman said she preferred to remain anonymous but said she was glad she was able to help keep the boy safe. Meanwhile, although still shaken by the incident and thinking of all the “what-ifs,” Tricia Hall said she is thankful to the stranger who brought her son back to her. “I hope one day I can give her something great. Just to really thank her,” the mother said.
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