Hide Transcript Show Transcript

JUST TALKED TO THE BOY’S MOTHER. >> GOD ONLY KNOWS WHAT COULD’VE HAPPENED TO HIM. BRITTANY: IT WAS A TYPICAL MONDAY MORNING JUST AFTER 8:00. DANA CLIFFORD PUT HER 11-YEAR-OLD SON EVAN, WHO HAS DOWN SYNDROME, ON THE BUS TO QUARRYVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WHERE SHE SAYS HE FELL ASLEEP. >> HE’S HARDLY EVER SICK, SO FOR NO ONE TO NOTICE THAT HE WASN’T THERE KIND OF JUST BLOWS MY MIND. BRITTANY: NEITHER THE BUS DRIVER, SCHOOL APPOINTED AID NOR SCHOOL PERSONNEL NOTICED HE WAS ASLEEP ON THE BUS ACCORDING TO ESHBACH BUSING. THE DRIVER WENT HOME, AND PARKED THE BUS WITH EVAN STILL ASLEEP INSIDE. >> I CAN’T IMAGINE HOW YOU CAN NOT CHECK AND YOU CAN MISS A CHILD. BRITTANY: THE FAMILY SAYS HE WANDERED HERE TO PENNSY RD NEAR A BUSY INTERSECTION WITH ROUTE 272 ABOUT 10 MILES AWAY FROM THEIR HOME. >> HE COULD’VE BEEN RAPED OR MURDERED OR KILLED. BRITTANY: HE WAS SPOTTED TRYING TO HITCH HIKE 2 WOMEN SAW HIM AND STOPPED TO HELP. HE TOLD THEM HE WAS LOST AND DIDN’T KNOW HOW TO GET HOME BUT FORTUNATELY, HE KNEW HIS MOMS PHONE NUMBER. >> THEY SAVED HIM. BRITTANY: THE FAMILY CALLS THOSE TWO WOMEN ANGELS. >> I CAN’T THANK THEM ENOUGH FOR WHAT THEY DID, THEY WERE THERE AT THE RIGHT TIME. BRITTANY: IN LANCASTER COUNTY, BRITTANY GARZILLO WGAL N

Advertisement Bus driver fired after 11-year-old boy falls asleep, gets left on bus WGAL News 8 Share Shares Copy Link Copy

A school busing company said it has fired a driver after a Lancaster County elementary student fell asleep and was left on the bus.The parents of the 11-year-old Evan Clifford, who has Down syndrome, said he fell asleep Monday on the way to Quarryville Elementary School, in the Solanco School District.Officials with Eshbach Busing said the bus driver, the school-appointed bus aide and school personnel didn't see him. The driver went home and parked the bus with the boy still inside."I can't imagine how you cannot check and can just miss a child," said Evan's mother, Dana Clifford.Dana said her son woke up and didn't know where he was. He walked to Route 272 and tried to hitchhike home."He could have been raped or murdered," Dana said.Fortunately two women spotted Evan trying to hitchhike and asked him if he needed help. He knew his mom's cell phone number and told the women."They saved him," Dana said. "I can't thank them enough for what they did." Officials with the bus company provided the following statement:"On the morning of Monday, May 20th, a student fell asleep during the course of the elementary bus run. Neither our school bus driver, the school district appointed bus aide, or school personnel noticed the sleeping student while unloading students at the elementary school. Our driver and aide left the school. The bus aide was dropped off at her house and our driver proceeded to park her bus at her house without performing a required post trip bus inspection. Unfortunately, the sleeping student was left on the bus as the driver entered her home. This is unacceptable and we apologize for jeopardizing student safety. The bus driver has been terminated for failing to follow safety protocol. We will work with the school district to make sure this will never happen again."A spokesperson for the school district provided this statement:"The District contracts with a bus company to provide transportation for our students. There are check that all bus drivers are required to complete at the end of their runs that did not happen in this case. District Officials have met with the parents and are working with the transportation contractor to address this personnel matter. The safety of all students is a top priority."