School bus driver fined for leaving special-needs student on bus

OMAHA, Neb. — A school bus driver here who left a special-needs student on a bus in August was found guilty of caretaker neglect, KETV reports.

The attorney for Thomas Naime, 68, who had been a school bus driver for Omaha Public Schools for 20 years, told the court that Naime had a “senior moment” and wasn’t being assisted by a bus aide on the day the incident occurred, according to the news source.

Nya, the pre-K student who was left behind on the bus, uses a feeding tube and has selective mutism, meaning she only speaks when she's comfortable, KETV reports. Omaha city attorney Makayla Maclin said that Nya “had been on the bus for some time” and “it wasn't a case where someone realized before the parents did, and that's why we charged him with the neglect."  

The judge could have sentenced Naimie to up to six months in jail and a $500 fine for the misdemeanor, but Naimie received a $250 fine and no jail time, according to the news source. The sentencing decision was made in part because Naime had resigned from his job, Maclin told KETV.

A spokesperson for Omaha Public Schools told the news source that every bus driver is trained on its child check system and receives recurring training on the importance of checking buses for students, and that the district is continuing to reinforce safety procedures with staff.

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