WILLOUGHBY, Ohio — A Lake County mother waited at the end of her driveway for a school bus that never came.
Maggie King later learned her 6-year-old son had been dropped off about five miles from home on his first day of first grade.
Her son started his first day of first grade at Edison Elementary in Willoughby on Friday. After school, King walked to the end of her driveway to meet him at the bus stop. When no bus arrived, she called the transportation department. She said while she was on hold, another call came in.
"It was Willoughby police notifying me that they had my son that Willoughby-East Lake Transportation had dropped him off at the wrong location,” King said.
Rowan had been left at an apartment complex about five miles from home.
King said her son tried to tell the driver something was wrong.
"My son told me that he told the bus driver this isn't his stop, and she said to him to get off, and he listened and he got off,” said King.
A little girl riding the bus recognized something was wrong and knocked on a neighbor's door looking for help. Brianna Hall was one of the parents who responded and called police.
"I went out to give the child comfort and let's see if we can find mom or dad," Hall said.
Hall said she and other parents stayed with the little boy until police arrived.
Willoughby police reunited mom and son. King described the moment her son got out of the police car.
"When he got out of the cop car, he came up to me, ran up to me with like tears in his eyes, and he said, 'I thought I was never gonna see you again, Mom.' He said, 'I don't ever want to ride the bus again.' I said, 'You will never ride the bus again. I will do whatever I have to do to make sure you get to school safely,'" King explained.
Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools released a statement:
"Our students' safety and well-being are always our top priority.
Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools contracts with Petermann Transportation to provide all student transportation services. We are aware of the current situation and have been in constant communication with Petermann as it conducts its investigation.
The District is closely monitoring the investigation and will continue working with Petermann to ensure our students' safety and well-being remain the highest priority."
Petermann Transportation also released a statement:
“During afternoon drop-off, a student was inadvertently dropped off at an incorrect stop within the same school district. We recognize the concern this situation has caused for the student, their family, and the community, and are thankful that the student returned home safely.
In addition to practice runs conducted before the start of school, our drivers are provided with detailed route sheets that include the names of their student passengers and assigned stops.
In this situation a mistake was made, and we are committed to reinforcing the procedures and training that support the safe, reliable transportation we provide every day and to help prevent situations like this in the future.”
King said she shared her story to make sure what happened to her son does not happen to another child. She also said she is extremely grateful and thankful to Hall and the other parents who stepped in to help.
