7-year-old Chicago girl with Down syndrome leaves school, wanders into stranger's home

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A 7-year-old Chicago student with Down syndrome walked out of school and wandered into a stranger's backyard.

On Monday, the child -- whose name is Destiny and only speaks a few words -- left Woodson South Elementary School and walked into Anton Montgomery's home on South Champlain Avenue.

"This little person walked into my house," said Montgomery, who was on Facebook Live when he saw Destiny in his backyard and then come into his home.

Montgomery walked the girl back to school, which is located blocks away on South Evans Avenue.

"I'm so glad my daughter walked in to his home. Anything could have happened to her," said Destiny's mother, Perla Arzola. "All I keep thinking is, 'Thank God. Thank God. She made it home.'"

In a statement, Chicago Public Schools spokeswoman Emily Bolton said, in part: "CPS is reviewing this matter to determine how this unacceptable situation occurred and....The district will not hesitate to take appropriate disciplinary action based on the findings of this review."

"It's so hard to get into the school but so easy to get out and nobody saw," Arzola said.

Montgomery, who has a step-daughter who attends the school, said he was happy to help and glad Destiny is OK. He said he can only imagine how frightening it would be to learn his step daughter wandered away from school.