“I cry every single day just thinking about him walking alone,” said Natalie Epstein, the mother of Oliver Epstein.
The call came around 3:30 in the afternoon on November 4th. The parents of 5-year-old Oliver Epstein believed their son was at school when they received a phone call from their nanny. The nanny spotted Oliver standing alone with his backpack
“It’s been very traumatic to think about what could have happened. I could not believe that this was even possible. As a parent, this is shocking and horrifying to hear. I had no car. I couldn’t jump in help. I was in the middle of work,” said Brett Epstein, the father of Oliver Epstein.
When Natalie Epstein contacted the after-school program to ask where her son was, she was told he had been seen earlier and was still there. A staff member said Oliver had already slipped away from the supervised area, walked off campus, and made his way down a six-lane parkway unnoticed.
“We got really lucky having something like this happen, that’s just so scary. Should be an immediate wakeup call,” Natalie Epstein said.
The Saugus Union School District says staff opened an investigation immediately after confirming Oliver was safe with his family. In a statement to Canyons News, Superintendent Dr. Colleen Hawkins said corrective actions have already been taken, including improvements to supervision protocols and campus security.
In the same statement, the Superintendent told Canyon News: “We are thankful the student was safely found. Appropriate corrective action has been taken, including improvements in supervision and securing facilities.”
The district also expressed regret for the concern caused to the family, but said it cannot comment further because the matter involves both personnel and student issues.
“It was a real helpless, scary feeling of just absolute horror. I think as parents who pay taxes for the district need to speak up louder and prouder about issues they see of all kinds. Having moved up here for the schools, we were very let down by what we found out and heard from this district,” Brett Epstein said.
Oliver was not physically harmed, but his parents say the emotional impact of knowing he walked so far alone is still setting in. They’re now considering their options, including possible legal action.
