The child, Samuel Van Tha Bik, was discovered about 9 p.m. He would have been released from Field Club Elementary School shortly after 4 p.m.

The boy’s family is from Burma and does not speak English.

The father, through a translator, said he thinks a substitute was driving the route, which could have played a role in the confusion.

OPS learned the child was missing about 6 p.m., according to spokeswoman Monique Farmer. Police received a phone call shortly before 7 p.m., according to emergency dispatchers.

ENCAP and OPS have a transportation contract to help homeless and refugee students get to and from school, Farmer said. This is a contract separate from one with Student Transportation of America, which buses the majority of OPS students.

OPS has scheduled an emergency meeting with ENCAP this afternoon “to learn how this happened, why it happened, and to really ensure our contractor takes any appropriate disciplinary action, if that’s necessary,” Farmer said.

Farmer said she could not yet offer more details on the contract or how long Pope has been working as a driver.

"We are still cooperating with (police) on the investigative pieces," Farmer said.