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SANDY — A Utah mom is concerned after her young son spent time alone on the school bus, long after he was supposed to be home.
Canyons School District officials are looking into allegations that the 4-year-old was forgotten Tuesday. The Willow Springs Elementary student usually gets dropped off at home around 11 a.m. However, when he didn't show up, his mother, Kathrine Parnell, called authorities.
"We've really tried to make a safe environment for him to get on the bus, but this definitely altered that," she said.
Parnell was heartbroken and frustrated after school bus dispatchers couldn't locate her son Zack on his ride home from school.
"They said that their records indicated that all the children had already been dropped off," she recounted.
After 30 minutes and a lot of phone calls, the school district "put me on hold and then (they) got back on the phone with me and then let me know that the bus driver said she didn't know Zachary had been on the bus."
At 12:30 p.m., the bus driver showed up and dropped off Zack without an explanation of where they had been.
"He said he was scared and he was sad because the driver got off the bus and left him there alone," Parnell said.
Canyons School District is investigating the incident, but officials said all buses have surveillance video and GPS systems.
"That allows us the ability to know where the buses are at any given time," district spokesman Jeff Haney said. "We will be looking at that factor as a part of our internal investigation."
In February, the bus's previous driver was let go, but school officials would not detail why the driver no longer was with the district.
"We have had incidences in the past that have led us to really train and train our bus drivers to make sure that what they do preparing to leave the bus, that they walk up and down the aisle to ensure that no students are left on the bus," Haney said.
Police, too, are investigating the case. Officials said the bus driver may face charges. In the meantime, the driver has been placed on paid administrative leave.
