4-year old left alone on bus
Updated: November 30, 2012
CHAMPAIGN -- A foster mother wants answers after her little boy was left on a Unit 4 school bus. The 4-year old was on his way to preschool, but when the bus got there, everyone got off and he was left behind. WCIA-3's Amanda Porterfield finds out more.
The boy was on the bus alone for about an hour. His foster mother and school officials agree it was a mistake that never should have happened.
Two days out of the week, Westerley McClellan takes her nephew to preschool. The other three, little Darrion takes the bus. But, now she's questioning that routine.
"I know he has to go, but it just makes me feel nervous of what the outcome of the day is going to be."
Wednesday, she says she got a call from the principal at the Pre-K Center.
"They were letting me know that my nephew had been left on the bus for a whole hour."
The driver had dropped all the kids off, then returned to the lot on Hagan. He didn't notice Darrion asleep near the front of the bus. It wasn't until he returned to make another run that anyone noticed Darrion was there.
"I was shocked and scared. She did reassure me he was safe, however, I didn't understand how that could happen."
Superintendent Dr. Judy Wiegand says, "The first thing we watch is the video that's on our buses. That's certainly the first step. Then, we talk to the driver and bus monitor."
By law, all bus drivers and monitors are supposed to walk the whole bus twice checking each seat. Until the district watches that video, no one will be sure if the bus was checked or not.
But, McClellan says, either way, she wants the investigation to end with consequences.
"It's ludicrous. I don't understand. I think these people need to be let go. To be in charge of people's children, you need to be extra careful."
Dr. Wiegand says the district has launched a full investigation. It will take a few days to complete. She says, after this incident, all drivers may have to go back through additional training.
The boy was on the bus alone for about an hour. His foster mother and school officials agree it was a mistake that never should have happened.
Two days out of the week, Westerley McClellan takes her nephew to preschool. The other three, little Darrion takes the bus. But, now she's questioning that routine.
"I know he has to go, but it just makes me feel nervous of what the outcome of the day is going to be."
Wednesday, she says she got a call from the principal at the Pre-K Center.
"They were letting me know that my nephew had been left on the bus for a whole hour."
The driver had dropped all the kids off, then returned to the lot on Hagan. He didn't notice Darrion asleep near the front of the bus. It wasn't until he returned to make another run that anyone noticed Darrion was there.
"I was shocked and scared. She did reassure me he was safe, however, I didn't understand how that could happen."
Superintendent Dr. Judy Wiegand says, "The first thing we watch is the video that's on our buses. That's certainly the first step. Then, we talk to the driver and bus monitor."
By law, all bus drivers and monitors are supposed to walk the whole bus twice checking each seat. Until the district watches that video, no one will be sure if the bus was checked or not.
But, McClellan says, either way, she wants the investigation to end with consequences.
"It's ludicrous. I don't understand. I think these people need to be let go. To be in charge of people's children, you need to be extra careful."
Dr. Wiegand says the district has launched a full investigation. It will take a few days to complete. She says, after this incident, all drivers may have to go back through additional training.
Comments
Horrible that this happened. As a mom of 4 I would be devastated if this happened to me. I would NOT jump to firing a person. I would want an investigation.
Christina B.
November 30, 2012 at 10:37 pm
