How this mom turned near-tragedy into a win for Philly’s most vulnerable kids

Kathleen Connolly tries not to think about March 7, 2014. But when she does, her mind drifts to Torresdale Avenue.
“I think about what happened there — what happened at Torresdale,” she said in a recent interview. “Only the drivers and Livvy know.”
Connolly’s daughter, Olivia, was eight years old on that chilly March afternoon. Some time around 1:30 p.m., Olivia — who has a form of autism that severely limits her ability to communicate or reason — bolted out the doors of Lawton Elementary.
The special education aide assigned to watch Olivia was only scheduled to work a half-day on March 7. It’s still unclear why. Connolly and her lawyers believe the School District of Philadelphia had been slashing hours for aides to save money during lean budget years.
Click here to read the rest of this story
Click here to read more about the case
© WHYY 2019