One child gets dropped off at the wrong place with the wrong person
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Ashley Hegel had a moment of panic during the first days of school.
Her five year old daughter was dropped off at the wrong bus stop -- and left in the care of a stranger.
"Words can't even express the emotions and fear that it brings up to think about what could have happened to my daughter if this gentleman had not had good intentions," said Ashley.
Ashley says the driver allowed the kindergartner to get off at a stop down the street from their Richland home.
"She pulled up to the apartment and saw a gentleman outside smoking and asked if he recognized her daughter," recounted Ashley.
The stranger apparently confused the young girl with another he knew.
Ashley says once he realized his mistake -- he dropped off the girl with another neighborhood woman and went to find Isabelle's parents.
"I could tell she was scared - she just told me they had dropped her off at the wrong place," said Ashley.
Ashley still can't believe this happened.
"There's no excuse for a bus driver not calling the parents when they're not sure where the child lives or where the child's supposed to be dropped off!"
She's right -- the Richland School District policy reads clearly:
If someone is not available to receive a student from a bus -- the student will be returned to the school and the parent will be called to pick up the student.
I went to the district for answers.
They told me an investigation is underway.
"What will happen to a bus driver after they let this child go without 100 percent confirmation from this man who identified her?" I asked.
"We're going to confirm our processes and our policy with all our drivers that transport kids," replied Support Services Director Mark Panther.
Until then, Ashley says she'll drive her daughter home.
"I want to feel confident and safe with my daughter riding the bus," said Ashley.
The driver has not been fired. The district wants to get a full account of exactly what happened and will make sure this doesn't happen again.
We'll follow up so you can be assured the same thing doesn't happen to your child.
Her five year old daughter was dropped off at the wrong bus stop -- and left in the care of a stranger.
"Words can't even express the emotions and fear that it brings up to think about what could have happened to my daughter if this gentleman had not had good intentions," said Ashley.
Ashley says the driver allowed the kindergartner to get off at a stop down the street from their Richland home.
"She pulled up to the apartment and saw a gentleman outside smoking and asked if he recognized her daughter," recounted Ashley.
The stranger apparently confused the young girl with another he knew.
Ashley says once he realized his mistake -- he dropped off the girl with another neighborhood woman and went to find Isabelle's parents.
"I could tell she was scared - she just told me they had dropped her off at the wrong place," said Ashley.
Ashley still can't believe this happened.
"There's no excuse for a bus driver not calling the parents when they're not sure where the child lives or where the child's supposed to be dropped off!"
She's right -- the Richland School District policy reads clearly:
If someone is not available to receive a student from a bus -- the student will be returned to the school and the parent will be called to pick up the student.
I went to the district for answers.
They told me an investigation is underway.
"What will happen to a bus driver after they let this child go without 100 percent confirmation from this man who identified her?" I asked.
"We're going to confirm our processes and our policy with all our drivers that transport kids," replied Support Services Director Mark Panther.
Until then, Ashley says she'll drive her daughter home.
"I want to feel confident and safe with my daughter riding the bus," said Ashley.
The driver has not been fired. The district wants to get a full account of exactly what happened and will make sure this doesn't happen again.
We'll follow up so you can be assured the same thing doesn't happen to your child.
Our grandson was dropped off at the wrong school for 4k in WI. School never apologized even.
I would like to say that it is a very scary thing to happen to any parent. Until you put yourself in Ashleys shoes you should not judge. I have known her for many years and would like it to make it clear to Mickie6691 it was not her 15 minutes of fame!!! That is not her. She was scared and very upset over it which any parent would be. I do agree that it is the start of school and new faces but it is their job and hopefully this was an eye opener. With all done and said I am glad she is home safe and sound. <3
If she is in a.m. half-day Kindergarten, they are suppose to drop off the child at their residence. Kindergarteners have tags on their backpack that has their address and their parents names and phone numbers. This bus driver was not dealing with a whole bus load of kids. She was dealing with a handful of Kindergarteners. I do not think it is a "minor incident" they are blowing out of proportion!
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 @mickie6691 THEIR one job is to pick up and drop off students. Her child is 5 maybe 6 like my child. I don't trust you or anyone else to walk my child home. If the parent is at the stop waiting for their child and they aren't delivered that driver should be fired for not doing his ONE JOB. COME ON???Â
 @Jessica Chavez My son is 4 and they have trotted the wrong child off the bus to deliver to me before. I escorted him back to the bus and told them what my son looked like. Most pedifiles are your friends and family NOT strangers looking for a stray child. It is the beginning of school and there are new faces for the drivers to get to know. They are human and made a mistake. Have you never erred? I am sure the driver is sorry and probably scarred to death that a simple and uneventful mistake will be made into a mountain and cost them their job in a crappy economy. It is too bad that there is not the feeling of TRUST in our neighbors and in our community because that will lead to the same inner city ghetto conditions that so many have fled from and make our small town just as bad as where you left. Throw a block party, get to know your community. Volunteer and work to solve the problem instead of blaming and pointing fingers. I would trust any of my neighbors to escort my son home if he was dropped off at the wrong house. If I didn't trust my neighborhood community I would move. The motto is do unto others as you would have them do unto you. I'm sorry that you have lost the feelings of trust and community - life really isn't as horrible as you imagine.
THIS SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME IN PASCO!!! the driver let her off with our neighbor I was so upset!