School bus driver picks up lost child, sticks to protocol

BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. — School bus driver Doretha Jackson was completing her morning pick-ups last week when she spotted a young child walking alone down the street.

The little girl, who appeared to be about 1 year old, was approaching a busy street, and Jackson saw no one following the child to stop her, according to an article in the Naples Daily News.

Jackson radioed her supervisor and asked if she could bring the child on the bus while transportation staff contacted the sheriff's office.

Recalling her training, Jackson opted not to leave her bus with students on board. Jackson asked a nearby pedestrian to bring the child onto the bus. She then assigned two of her passengers to watch the child.

While waiting for deputies to arrive, Jackson drove around the block to her next stop to pick up another student. By the time she returned to the scene, the toddler's mother and law enforcement had arrived. According to the Lee County Sheriff's Office, no charges were filed related to the incident.

Jackson, who has worked as a bus driver for Lee County Public Schools for 11 years, received praise and thanks from her supervisors, who were impressed by her level-headed response to the situation and adherence to school transportation policy.