A South Florida mother says her son with autism was struggling in school. But instead of getting extra help, she says all she got was a visit from the police. 7’s Courtney Allen investigates.
Deborah Gross is hoping for a better school year for her 7-year-old son, Ezra.
He has autism, and struggles to communicate.
Deborah Gross: “He’s semi-verbal, The two-way communication is starting to emerge.”
When he gets overwhelmed, he sometimes lashes out. But with the help of behavioral therapists, she knows what to do to help him.
Deborah Gross: “So you pretty much have to know how to work with him, how to use de-escalation techniques.”
Deborah says Ezra’s teachers at Cooper City Elementary should know these de-escalation techniques.
He was doing well in kindergarten, but things changed when he moved to first grade.
She claims the paraprofessional aide assigned to support her son in school did not know how to work with children with special needs.
Deborah Gross: “I’ve been giving him tips and advice on how to de-escalate with my son. I always say, ‘Don’t get at eye level with him while he’s having a meltdown,’ but he has continuously done so.”
She’s asked her insurance company to pay for help at the school many times.
Deborah Gross: “My insurance company won’t allow services at the school because he’s supposedly receiving those supports already. I’ve already appealed like five times with letters of medical necessity, but they don’t think it’s medically necessary.”
Ezra was written up for kicking his aide in January.
But Deborah says she had no idea things were worse than what she thought. Until two weeks later, when Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies showed up at her door.
Deborah Gross: “And he let me know that my son had two police reports filed.”
Deborah discovered two write-ups had been elevated to behavioral threat assessments, which are reported to police.
Deborah Gross: “And then he ended up having a third police report filed on March 4.”
According to the March BSO report, Ezra became aggressive with his aide during a “dysregulated state” and kicked the aide on the “right temporal area.”
The aide claimed “…He feels Ezra knew right from wrong…” and “he wants to file criminal battery charges on the child.”
However, the officer filing the report said: “Based on his age and disability, I cannot establish probable cause Ezra intended and/or had the knowledge he was committing a battery on a school board employee.”
Deborah Gross: “I don’t know why this paraprofessional is having issues and why they’re having so many issues at school. They’re supposed to have these supports in system.”
Deborah learned her son had been written up countless times for hitting, scratching, pinching and kicking.
Deborah Gross: “They’re not de-escalating the way that they’re supposed to.”
We reached out to Broward County Public Schools.
A representative tells 7News they can’t release any details related to student records.
However, “the school followed district procedures regarding this student and communicated with the student’s parent on the day any incident occurred, documenting each exchange.”
The aide who worked with Ezra “…separated from employment on May 6, 2026, during his probationary period.”
Although charges were never filed against her son, Deborah wants to make it clear he is not a criminal — he just needs more support.
Deborah Gross: “My son is not an abusive person. He has a disability.”
Deborah transferred Ezra to a school she says provides better support for kids with disabilities.
She is now working to advocate for better communication between schools and families with children of special needs.
Courtney Allen, 7News.
CONTACT 7 INVESTIGATES:
305-627-CLUE
954-921-CLUE
7Investigates@wsvn.com
Copyright 2026 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.