Anthony ISD parent claims her student was left outside during a lockdown

ANTHONY, Texas (KVIA) -- The mother of an Anthony ISD student is upset after she claims her son was left outside after the school ordered a lockdown during an intense police chase last Thursday.

Valerie Ramirez told ABC-7 she dropped off her 9-year-old son, Zachary, at Anthony Elementary School, but only a few minutes later, the school went into a lockdown.

The lockdown was prompted by police as they pursued a man wanted in a shooting and a string of robberies.

Ramirez said she and her son arrived at the school at 7:41 a.m. before the lockdown had been implemented.

According to district officials, after 7:30 a.m., the school followed the Texas Education Agency actions requiring all exterior doors to remain closed and locked during learning.

Ramirez said she signed her son in late inside and said goodbye.

The school says Zachary walked to class through an exterior pathway on school property secured with protective barriers.

However, Zachary wouldn't make it to his classroom right away. Instead, he was left waiting outside in the protected area.

Ramirez questions why her son was left outside and no one noticed he was missing.

She said her son was locked out of the school building for almost 40 minutes.

Ramirez said her son knocked on the door, waiting for someone to let him inside. Ramirez said her son wouldn't be allowed inside until around 8:30 a.m.

Ramirez said the entire situation had traumatized her son. Zachary said, "I was really cold and really scared. But I did what I was taught to do. I just sat down."

Ramirez is frustrated by the school district's response. She claims the school district has not taken full responsibility.

ABC-7 reached out to the school district. They said, "During a lockdown, adults are trained [to] lock themselves and students in the classrooms, turn off the lights, remain quiet and hide. Upon discovering there was a student outside and once it was deemed safe for the others, the student was brought indoors."

The district said the safety of their students is their top priority.