A Dallas elementary school has changed its policy regarding sending students to the principal's office after a 7-year-old walked off campus.

Santiago Ambrose was missing for about two hours Wednesday after being sent to the office at Casa View Elementary School in northeast Dallas. He and another boy were sent to see the principal after they were caught playing in the boys' bathroom.

But Santiago never made it. He ducked out a door and hid behind a nearby house. He later told CBS 11 that he skipped out because he was afraid the principal was going to suspend him.

School officials realized he was missing after about 30 minutes, said Sandra Guerrero, a Dallas Independent School District spokesperson. Police officers and school administrators searched the neighborhood. Eventually, the boy was spotted and reunited with his mother.

Guerrero said the school and its teachers followed procedures according to Dallas ISD policy, which requires students to be paired up when going to the office. But from now on, Casa View teachers will phone the office to let the principal's staff know when students are on the way.

The boy was able to find an open door to leave through, Guerrero said, because fire regulations require schools to leave some doors unlocked.