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After 5-Year-Old Walks Away From Valencia After-Care, District Tightens Safety Protocols

Parents dispute the response after being told he was still in care.

Overview

  • Oliver Epstein, 5, left North Park Elementary’s after-school program on Nov. 4 and was found by his family’s nanny near a McDonald’s on McBean Parkway roughly a mile from campus.
  • The nanny spotted him around 3:30 p.m., about three hours after his 12:20 p.m. dismissal, and drove him home as his parents tried to reach school staff.
  • When the mother called the program, staff initially said Oliver was still in care, according to the family.
  • Saugus Union School District says it immediately investigated and implemented corrective actions, including tighter student supervision protocols and improved facility security, while declining further detail.
  • The parents removed their son from the after-care program, pressed the school board for accountability and safety reforms, noted a reportedly similar 2019 case, and coverage also reports the superintendent’s retirement effective July 1, 2026.