Hudson Valley 6-Year-Old Goes Missing From School Playground

A Hudson Valley school district is investigating after a 6-year-old went missing from a school playground.

A six-year-old student at Plattekill Elementary School in the Wallkill Central School District walked off the playground and into a nearby wooded area Monday afternoon, triggering a massive multi-agency search.

A 6-Year-Old Wandered Off A School Playground Into The Woods

Hudson Valley Post has learned that the boy wandered away from the supervised playground around 1 p.m. on Monday.

"Some of you may be aware of an increased police presence at the Plattekill Elementary School today. This was due to the fact that a student at the school wandered off into a wooded area adjacent to the playground," Wallkill Central School District Superintendent Anthony White told the Wallkill school community in a letter, obtained by Hudson Valley Post.

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School staff noticed immediately, contacted the main office, and radioed the school resource officer. A large police presence quickly responded.

Plattekill Police, Ulster County Sheriff's Deputies, and New York State Police all responded. Searchers used ATVs, a K-9 unit, and a drone to comb the wooded area.

He Was Found Safe An Hour Later

The child was found about an hour after he went missing. He was wet but not injured. White confirmed the district is actively investigating how the child left the playground undetected.

"After a search which involved local law enforcement authorities, the student was located. The District is examining the circumstances of this incident to see if any actions need to be taken to prevent a reoccurrence of this type of event, or one of a similar nature," White added.

Second Child Safety Concern In Recent Weeks

This is the second time in recent weeks that Hudson Valley Post has covered a child safety concern involving the Wallkill Central School District.

Earlier this month, we reported on a parent's complaint about a kindergartener who was placed on the wrong school bus, and the district's response to that story.

Community members are now raising questions about playground security at Plattekill Elementary, with many calling on the district to install a fence around the playground to prevent a similar situation from happening again.