A Virginia first-grade boy fell asleep while on a bus drive to school Thursday and woke up alone in the bus parking lot next to Newsome Park Elementary School.
Newport News Public Schools confirmed the incident and told the Washington Examiner the situation is being investigated.
“The safety of our students is of the highest priority in Newport News Public Schools,” NNPS Director of Public Information and Community Involvement Michelle Price said in a statement. “This incident is being thoroughly investigated by the school division. Our Transportation Director and the student’s principal remain in contact with the student’s family.”
Sheri Robinson, the 7-year-old boy’s grandmother, told WAVY that he showed up at her door a few hours later with two strangers.
“Around 12, 1 o’clock, two strangers brought my grandson home and I’m like ‘Why aren’t you in school?’” Robinson said.
Robinson said NNPS told her there is video of the bus driver leaving the bus and then her grandson exiting.
“[NNPS] saw that the driver never checked the seats [after] she pulled in the parking lot,” Robinson told WAVY. “She parked the bus and she just got out of the bus. Then, after a while, they saw Marcus get off the bus and they say they saw him push the door open and walk off.”
NNPS told the Washington Examiner that the bus driver was removed from duty.
“The bus driver involved in this incident has been removed from her duties and Child Protective Services has been notified,” Price said.
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The grandmother said she is now concerned whether she can be confident her grandson will make it to school safely.
“What if someone else had picked him up?” Robinson asked. “People are out here kidnapping kids and doing God knows what to them.”
