Boy breaks skull; sent home with note

ALLEGAN, Mich. (WOOD) - A 6-year-old with special needs was seriously injured at school -- and all his parents got was a note.

"It's ridiculous. There's no excuse," said father Dorsey Risher. "They can't give me a reason why. It shouldn't have happened."

Dorsey Risher's 6-year-old son Colt has autism. Thursday, Colt hit his head at school. But his mother and father didn't know until much later.

"He can't come home and say, 'Hey Dad, I hit my head,'" said Risher.

When Colt got home, his parents saw he had been vomiting. They took him to the hospital.

"He had a fractured skull and major concussion," said Risher.

It wasn't until after the Rishers took Colt to the hospital that they found a letter in his backpack informing them of the fall.

"It doesn't say urgent or attention," said Risher. "Two visits to the nurse and I still didn't get a call."

The superintendent admitted to 24 Hour News 8 the district made a mistake.

"Our procedures weren't followed, and we're not happy about that and we apologize for it," said Allegan Area Educational Service Agency Superintendent Mark Dobias. "We're disappointed in ourselves when something like this happens."

Dobias said staff at Hillside Learning and Behavioral Center constantly communicates with parents and should normally call home if a student gets checked out. But this time, Dobais said, they didn't.

"If I'm in the seat of the parent, I'm upset about it, I want some answers, and I know that they did," said Dobias.

Dobias said the district disciplined more than one employee, but he would give any details about their punishment.

"This is an isolated incident. It doesn't negate the seriousness of it," said Dobias.

But while the superintendent tried to reassure parents, Risher reevaluated whether he felt comfortable sending his son back to school.

"They had no excuse. They said it was their bad. That doesn't help matters," said Risher. "My trust is gone."

Risher told 24 Hour News 8 he wants his son's story told because he wants cameras in schools where students have special needs. He wants to be able to check on his child during the day.