Largo school has autistic boy, 6, Baker-Acted

Six-year-old Ryder is back with his mom at their Madeira Beach home after a traumatic night for the entire family.

"They locked the gate," said his mom, Dawn Gage. "I could hear him screaming my name."

Ryder is autistic and his mom says he's known to have tantrums when he's taken away from normal routine.

But Thursday, at Southern Oak Elementary, Ryder's mom said school officials decided his behavior had become uncontrollable.

The district called in specialists. Under the Baker Act, those specialists decided it was best to remove the 6-year-old from the building and take him to a Baker Act facility.

The student was taken to Personal Enrichment and Mental Health Services in Pinellas Park, where he spent the night.

"Had you seen my son's face last night, in his little prison shoes, not understanding why he's locked in a room, I will never be the same, nor do I think he will," Dawn Gage said.

Ryder's mother said there was a better way for the school to handle the outbursts. She said she was only notified about what happened after her son had already been escorted out of school.

"As many conversations as we had, I should have been included in that or at least, contacted when the behavior started," Gage said.

Bay News 9 reached out to the school district. School officials couldn't speak about the specific incident.

But a spokesman said the district is not legally bound to call a parent when they feel the need to Baker Act a child.

The school district does make it a rule, however, to "involve the parent throughout the child's education experience, including circumstances of behavior."

Officials say they have no reason to believe their procedure was not followed.