LSO: 4-Year-Old Forgotten on School Bus

By: 10/11 News Email

Updated: Mon 6:34 PM, Oct 29, 2012

A school bus driver is cited after forgetting a four year old boy on the bus.

According to investigators, the boy's mother loaded him onto the Norris School bus at 7:45 Friday morning, but he didn't show up at his classroom until 11:00.

Lancaster County Sheriff's Captain Benjamin Houchin says six kids were riding the bus that morning. He say the substitute bus driver dropped five of them off, but forgot the 4-year-old.

Houchin believe the boy fell asleep in his seat on the bus. When he woke up, Houchin says the boy walked about 200 yard to his classroom.

Deputies cited the 66-year-old bus driver for misdemeanor child neglect.

"By no means do we think this is intentional. He is a substitute on that route. We do know that he feels horrible about what has happened and has taken full responsibility," Houchin said.

Houchin says the driver was a substitute, unfamiliar with the route and in a hurry to get to another assignment.

The Norris School District released a statement about the incident, saying "The district is relieved the child is safe and was on campus. The district is dealing with this as a personnel matter in addition to the separate law enforcement investigation."

It goes on to say, "By his own admission, the driver did not check the vehicle prior to terminating the route, a standard procedure, and the student remained on board. The student was not visible from the front of the bus."

Click the link below for the full statement.