An Oklahoma driver resigned and an aide was suspended after reportedly leaving a 7-year-old with a wheelchair on a bus for over six hours and not reporting it. File photo courtesy John Horton

An Oklahoma driver resigned and an aide was suspended after reportedly leaving a 7-year-old with a wheelchair on a bus for over six hours and not reporting it. File photo courtesy John Horton

MIDWEST CITY, Okla. — Police said that a 7-year-old student who uses a wheelchair was left on a school bus by her driver and aide for several hours on the afternoon of Dec. 11, KFOR reports.

The child’s mother told police that the girl, who also has cerebral palsy, was picked up at her daycare location just before 8 a.m., and the bus driver and aide then typically took the students to multiple school locations and drop them off, but the girl was overlooked that day, according to the news source. The driver brought the bus back to Mid-Del School District and several hours later, the driver and aide went back to the bus, realized they had left the girl unattended, and decided to take her back to her daycare facility.

Daycare workers were concerned because the girl was returned two hours earlier than normal and was soiled, tired, and appeared to be dehydrated, KFOR reports. They contacted the girl’s mother, who contacted the school and found out that her daughter hadn’t been to school that day. She then took her daughter to the hospital.

KFOR also reported that the driver resigned and the aide was suspended after the incident. The school district told the news source that the employees violated procedures when they left the student on the bus and failed to report the incident, and instead took her back to daycare. Police records show she was left on the bus for more than six hours and the incident wasn't reported until nearly three hours after they realized they had left her on the bus, according to the news source.

Police told KFOR the incident was caught on video by cameras inside the bus.

About the author
Staff Writer

Staff Writer

Editorial

Our team of enterprising editors brings years of experience covering the fleet industry. We offer a deep understanding of trends and the ever-evolving landscapes we cover in fleet, trucking, and transportation.  

View Bio
0 Comments