A dad has hit out after his "severely autistic" son went missing from a childcare centre for almost an hour, before being found wandering barefoot on a Glasgow street.
Peter McKie's son Carson, seven, managed to wander out of the fire exit of the Caring Operations Joint Action Council centre in Castlemilk at around 5.10pm on Tuesday afternoon.
The youngster was then found at the side of the road near the Castlemilk shopping centre with no socks or shoes on.
Dad Peter, 38, found out Carson was missing when he arrived to collect him at around 5.40pm and immediately raced out in his car to search for his son.
He told Lanarkshire Live: "Carson is severely autistic, he can't communicate and can't look after himself.
"It was me that eventually found him. Nobody phoned to say what had happened
"I drove around like an absolute maniac and it was just by luck that I found him near the shopping centre where he seemed to be distracted by a puddle.
"He could have been knocked down by a car or taken away.
"My mind was racing at the time and I just thought I wasn't going to see my son again."
Peter is now demanding answers over the incident, claiming he and his wife Teresa were not notified about Carson's disappearance at the time by the centre.
He also told how it allegedly took staff three minutes to realise Carson was gone, despite the family paying for one-to-one care.
Peter claims when the centre’s manager was approached about it, she had no idea Carson was missing.
He added: "I've been paying for him to go twice a week to get one-to-one support for the last year after it was recommended by social workers.
"If he has one-to-one care, how on earth did he even get to the fire exit to get out?
"All that the centre have said so far is that they're sorry.
"When I asked 'how this could happen?', they just said they don't know. I asked if any disciplinary action would be taken against staff and they said it would depend on how severe it is.
"I would say this is pretty severe!
"It takes a lot for us to trust someone with the safety of our son and this is what happens. It's very worrying."
The COJAC centre has launched an investigation into the incident.
Angela Friel, COJAC centre manager, said: "We are treating this incident extremely seriously and an investigation is underway to clarify what happened.
"Appropriate authorities have been informed and we are working with them as they undertake their own investigation.
"The child was found safe and well."
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