KFSM-TV
Following the death of a 6yearold boy the Fayetteville district plans to install a fence to enclose the playground at Vandergriff Elementary School

5 employees at Arkansas school placed on leave after death of 6-year-old student

March 14, 2017
Boy wandered away from playground at a Fayetteville, Ark., school and was found unresponsive in a swimming pool.

Five paraprofessionals at an elementary school in Fayetteville, Ark., have been placed on paid leave while the school district investigates last week's death of a 6-year-old student.

KFSM-TV reports that the school district is investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of Adron Benton, who attended Vandergriff Elementary School. He had been diagnosed with autism and was in a special needs program.

Adron apparently wandered away from the school playground on March 7; he subsequently was found unresponsive in the swimming pool of a nearby home. He was taken to a hospital in Little Rock, where he died.

Fayetteville Superintendent Matthew Wendt said last week that teacher's aides routinely supervise recess and were on duty at the time.

The playground at Vandergriff is not fenced in, but district officials say that one will be built around the play area within the next two or three weeks.

About the Author

Mike Kennedy | Senior Editor

Mike Kennedy, senior editor, has written for AS&U on a wide range of educational issues since 1999.

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