The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is recommending charges after a school bus driver reportedly left a 4-year-old child inside a hot, empty bus, according to a September 5 report.
Investigators stated the driver failed to check the bus after finishing an afternoon route in the Kewaskum School District. The child is okay, according to the sheriff’s office.
The Johnson School Bus Service acknowledged that multiple safety steps were skipped during the incident. The bus service stated the driver did not follow the company’s checklist and a manager responsible for double-checking the buses also failed to do so.
Kenn Jones with the bus service said that the required student search and empty bus checks did not occur. He stated he does not currently have an answer as to why the driver did not perform the checks or use the empty signs.
Parents Samantha Scoop and Seth Doherty reported that their children were delayed by one hour at drop-off and were not permitted to roll down windows despite the heat.
Scoop stated her daughter appeared unwell and was sweating upon arrival home. Doherty noted his daughter was also sweating and scared, stating the situation was very concerning for the upcoming school year. Both parents said they will now carpool to pick up their children when school is over.
The bus company said it would retrain drivers and has taken appropriate action regarding the incident.
