Richmond, Va. (Newsradiowrva.com) - After a toddler at Richmond Montessori School walked away from his class and toward a busy nearby road last week, the school has confirmed that the two teachers who were responsible for the child are no longer employed there.
Last Friday morning, Tre Waddy saw the child running down the side of Parham Road. In a statement, Richmond Montessori expressed gratitude to Waddy for bringing the child to safety.
“A toddler was able to wander away from his class and was rescued by a Good Samaritan in traffic on Parham Road,” the statement read. “We will be eternally grateful to this individual.”
The school said it is “deeply troubled by” the incident and that it would implement additional safety measures. A temporary fence has now been installed around parts of the school’s Parham Road campus.
Officials with the school also confirmed Tuesday that the two teachers responsible for the child have been terminated. The action came after an independent investigation – the results of which will remain internal, according to school officials.
Additional safety measures will include:
• A temporary suspension of any outdoor activities outside of a fenced area, including nature walks, pending the completion of a safety audit,
• More fencing or barriers to campus to prevent any student from wandering towards Parham Road in the future;
• Additional safety training for all staff.
“We recognize that every day, our parents entrust us with their children, and we take that responsibility and partnership seriously,” the school’s statement said. “We intend to maintain that trust by learning from this incident and making the changes we have outlined.”