A mom in the Houston area has struggled to find the right school for her teenage son, who has autism and ADHD. She thought she had finally found one that would be “a perfect school for him,” the mom, Alessandra Canas, told KTRK.
One day in September, however, Alessandra learned that something very concerning had happened while her 15-year-old son was using the bathroom at school.
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A teacher told the mom that someone took a photo of her son in the bathroom.
When the mom went to pick up her son at IDEA Hardy, a charter school in Texas, on September 26, 2024, a teacher told her that someone had taken a photo of her son while he was using the urinal. Alessandra was shocked, especially because the school is supposed to ensure that her son uses private bathrooms, she told KTRK.
The photo was shared with at least two people.
Whoever took the photo of the teenager shared it with at least one student and one teacher via Airdrop, the news outlet reported. Understandably, the mom was worried that the situation could get even worse if someone were to share the photo on social media.
“That’s very devastating because you don’t want to see it on their TikTok or their Facebook or Instagram,” she told KTRK. “That’s very embarrassing.”
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It's unclear who took the photo.
While the Houston Police Department and the school are aware of the incident, they have not identified any suspects. Alessandra’s son doesn’t know who was in the bathroom at the same time he was. According to the school, the boy was not using a private or special bathroom at the time that the photo was taken.
IDEA Schools shared a statement.
Because it has no suspect, the Houston Police Department has not filed charges. IDEA Schools shared a statement in response to the incident, per KTRK.
According to the statement, “school administrators were made aware that an inappropriate photo taken inside a school bathroom was shared with two individuals.” The statement also noted that the school is working with the police department to investigate.
Additionally, IDEA Schools stated that “IDEA vehemently condemns any behavior that imposes on students’ respect and privacy.”
The mom is seeking justice.
The teen’s mom is simply hoping that the person who took the photo of her son will be identified and held accountable. She cried as she talked to KTRK about the impact an incident like this could have. “I just want to see that person get caught because what if it happened to another student?” she told the publication. “Or another kid like mine that’s special needs.”
