Father of Central Point Boy Who Nearly Drowned Speaks Out

CLICK FOR AN UPDATE ON LUKE'S CONDITION

The father of a Central point boy who nearly drowned in a irrigation ditch says his son is improving tonight.

6-year-old Luke Baehne is in critical condition at Doernbecher Children's hospital in Portland.

Luke's father, Phil Baehne, says it's been an emotional rollercoaster. Doctors told Baehne that Luke is experiencing brain swelling.

He says initially doctors thought he might not make it, until they said he began showing signs of improvement.

Baehne says he's been by his son Luke's bedside almost 24 hours a day.

"He smiled at me, gripped my hand," Baehne said in a phone interview.

Baehne says at first they thought he was dying.

"It's a miracle no other way to explain it," Baehne said. "When I first got here, it was...he was almost brain dead."

Luke is expected to recover but Baehne is still trying to figure out what happened Tuesday.

Luke is autistic, and enrolled in a Southern Oregon Education Service District program housed at Jacksonville Elementary School.

When Luke didn't arrive at the bus stop Tuesday afternoon, Baehne says a Jacksonville Police officer told him that his son was dead.

"We got into the car sat down," Baehne said, after explaining his wife nearly fainted. "Then they got word they had taken him to the hospital, but never heard anything till that point."

They were told Luke went missing sometime during or after recess and wandered off school grounds. Baehne says he doesn't know how it happened, but he's blaming the Medford School District, Jacksonville Elementary School and Southern Oregon ESD.

"I completely hold them responsible for it in every way shape and form," he said.

Medford School District Superintendent Phil Long said Thursday, the investigation continues. He says two educational assistants were in charge of watching Luke and three other students. Baehne says he doesn't want this to happen ever again.

"What will happen? I don't know yet. We want to straight out things with Luke first," he explained. "Everything else will fall into place...all these things need to be investigated and why."

Luke's father also expressed concerns about why there were no rails set up around the irrigation ditch to prevent anyone from falling in.

He also said he can't understand why fences around the school aren't locked during the day.

Superintendent Long says the school bonds project to improve safety, could include sturdier fencing at all the schools in the district.

The bus drivers at First Student bus company are collecting donations to help the family with medical costs.