DIGHTON A new playground fence will be installed at Dighton Elementary School by next week, Dighton-Rehoboth Superintendent Bill Runey told the regional school committee Tuesday night, WPRI (12 News) reported. The district has hired an outside investigator after a 5-year-old student walked away from recess on Oct. 20, the station reported.
Runey told the committee the child wandered off during recess and was found walking alone on a main road, according to WPRI. Police found the child safe, the station reported, but Runey said that does not make what happened acceptable.
"I spoke with the student's mother and apologized profusely. She entrusted us with her child, and her child left our campus without supervision," Runey said, according to the station. "I heard her fear, her frustration, and her questions about how this could have happened. She deserves answers."
What the investigator will look at
The investigator will conduct an independent investigation into what happened, whether staff followed expectations and who needs to be held accountable, WPRI reported. The investigator will also help the district identify further changes it needs to make, the station reported.
Along with the fence, Runey said the district is reestablishing supervision protocols and reviewing staffing ratios, and that it self-reported the incident to the state Department of Children and Families, according to WPRI.
Parents speak at the meeting
Parents spoke during the meeting's public comment period about their concerns over staffing and safety, the station reported. The committee's agenda describes public input as a time for members to listen to comments on matters within their authority, not a dialogue, and asks speakers to avoid personnel or student-specific issues and keep remarks to three minutes.
"To the family involved and to the families who are concerned tonight, I am sorry that this happened," Runey said, according to WPRI. "I know that rebuilding confidence will take more than just a statement at this meeting. It will take follow through, it will take time, and that is my responsibility."
The meeting was set for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Harrington Library Media Center at Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School, with a video call link for people following remotely. The agenda lists a notice of electronic recording at the call to order.
How we got here
WJAR (NBC 10) reported the incident Wednesday, quoting Runey. He told the station the child came to a nearby home and the people there called police. WJAR also reported that the district is reinstating lunch and recess monitor positions it had eliminated in budget cuts. Our Oct. 28 story has the district's first account, including its plans for more playground fencing.
WPRI reported that it had asked the Dighton Police Department for more information and was waiting to hear back. South Coast 360 has asked the district for its letter to families and the dates for each change, and has asked Dighton police about the call. This story will be updated with any answer.
How to reach the district
The Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School District central office is at 2700 Regional Road in North Dighton, 508-252-5000. Dighton Elementary School, at 1250 Somerset Ave., can be reached at 508-669-4245.
Label: Reported by us, from the town's posted records.
Notes
Runey's remarks to the school committee, his quotes, the investigator's hiring and scope, the fence timing, the other changes, the report to the Department of Children and Families and the parents' comments come from WPRI's Oct. 29 report, which we read that afternoon and credit throughout. Runey's account of the nearby home and the return of the lunch and recess monitors come from WJAR's Oct. 28 report, reread Oct. 29. The meeting's time, place, recording notice and public input rules come from the committee's own Oct. 27 agenda. The school and district addresses and phone numbers come from the agenda and the school's website, read Oct. 29. We checked each date and weekday against a calendar. The child is not named or described beyond the age officials gave.
Corrections
No corrections to this story. If something here is wrong, tell us. Every correction is dated on the story and listed in our public log.
Sources (6)
- WPRI (12 News), "Investigator hired after 5-year-old child wanders off during recess in Dighton," by Melanie DaSilva (Oct. 29, 2026)Runey's remarks at the Oct. 27 school committee meeting and his quotes; the Oct. 20 date; the investigator hired and its scope; the child found walking alone on a main road and found safe by police; the fence by next week; supervision protocols and staffing ratios; the DCF self-report; parents' comments; the station's request to Dighton police. Posted Oct. 29, 2026, 7:53 a.m., updated 2:58 p.m. Read Oct. 29, 2026.
- Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School District School Committee Meeting agenda, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026Meeting time and place, the video call link, the electronic recording notice, the public input rules; district central office address and phone on the letterhead. Read Oct. 29, 2026.
- WJAR (NBC 10), "5-year-old walks off Dighton school playground, prompting apology and safety changes," by Ryan Medeiros (Oct. 28, 2026)First report Wednesday, quoting Runey; his account that the child came to a nearby home and police were called; the lunch and recess monitor positions being reinstated. Posted Oct. 28, 2026, 2:04 p.m., updated 11:17 p.m. Read Oct. 29, 2026.
- Dighton Elementary School: school website (address and main office phone)Read Oct. 29, 2026.
- Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School District: district news page (checked; no post on the incident)Read Oct. 29, 2026.
- South Coast 360: Dighton Elementary student, 5, left school grounds during recess and was found safe, district says (Oct. 28, 2026)Our first story on the incident.