Home >  Local News

Wednesday, April 03, 2002

By Milan Simonich, Post-Gazette Staff Writer

The principal of Horace Mann Elementary says it is unlikely a 10-year-old boy hid in the school undetected for five days during Easter break.

"It's not probable, but it's possible," Principal Lonnie Folino said yesterday.

The boy, Anthony Clifford Jr., was found Monday night in the 2800 block of Shadeland Avenue, a block from his house. He disappeared last Wed-nesday, triggering a city search and a wave of publicity. He has a heart condition and needs daily medication.

Once he was found, Anthony told police he had been in Horace Mann all five days.

Folino said he doubts the boy's story for many reasons.

Top-to-bottom searches of the school Thursday and Saturday turned up no trace of Anthony.

Beyond that, the school's motion-detection security system never sounded an alarm. Had Anthony been in the school all five days, his movements almost certainly would have triggered the alarm system, the principal said.

Anthony's father, Anthony Clifford Sr., said he did not believe his boy's story either, even though little Anthony was sticking to it.

"I think he was in another boy's house, a house right behind the school," Clifford said. "His T-shirt was dirty, like he was playing basketball, and his hands were dirty."

Folino said the evidence suggests that Anthony slipped into the school only one day -- Monday -- while staff members were preparing for the resumption of classes.

Two of the school's Easter baskets were moved into the library that day, and somebody took the candy. Folino says it was Anthony, who left a note of contrition.

Anthony wrote that he was all right. He also said he knew his mom had been putting up posters, asking people to watch for him.

"He left a trail Monday," Folino said. "I really think that was the only day he was in the building."

Anthony did not return to school yesterday, though classes were back in session.

His father's fiancee, Koffie Hammond, said she planned to keep him out of school for at least another day so the family could meet with school counselors.

Folino said Horace Mann's staff was delighted that Anthony was safe, but determined that he not be treated as a hero.

"The last thing we want is for another kid to think disappearing is a neat thing to do," Folino said.

He described Anthony as smart, extroverted, likable and street-wise beyond his years.

"Depending on how much money he has, he's capable of surviving on the street," Folino said.

Clifford thanked everyone who helped in the search for his son, and said he was sorry for all the trouble.

Anthony apologized, too.

In a letter his family made public yesterday, he said he had taken "the wrong path down Miserable Lane."

"My advice for kids is running away isn't cool," Anthony wrote. "You should never put your family through all this trouble."