AJMAN // A school bus driver has been arrested after a frightened girl, 6, was found locked inside his vehicle, which was parked in an industrial area.

A passer-by alerted police after seeing M M H in the bus about 10am. She is believed to have fallen asleep on the way to school. Police said the driver and bus supervisor did not make sure the bus was empty. Driver H K A has been arrested.

The Asian girl was taken to hospital to check for injuries before being taken home. The incident happened at the end of last week and it is not known which school she attended.

Investigations revealed the supervisor did not notice the girl had failed to arrive for classes, although she was logged into the bus attendance sheet.

The incident occurred six months after KG1 pupil Nizaha Aalaa, 3, died of suffocation when she was left in a school bus in Abu Dhabi.

Col Ali Al Matrooshi, director of Ajman Police, said bus drivers were required by law to check the bus and make sure no one was left inside before they locked the vehicle.

He said H K A had failed to perform his duty and had been referred to prosecution to face trial.

Nizaha, a KG1 pupil at Al Worood Academy Private School, had fallen asleep in the back seat of the bus on October 7 last year and her body was found at 11.45am.

The driver, bus supervisor, a school attendant, the owner of the bus company and the school involved in the case of Nizaha have appealed against their sentences, with verdicts expected on May 11.

In February, the Court of Misdemeanours sentenced the driver and supervisor to three years, and the school attendant received a suspended sentence of three years. The three were also fined Dh20,000 each.

The owner of the bus company was given six months in jail for endangering lives and fined Dh500,000 for hiring employees he did not sponsor.

They and the school were ordered to pay blood money of Dh200,000 between them to Nizaha’s family.

Al Worood was fined Dh150,000. The school was ordered to close at the end of this academic year.

tzriqat@thenational.ae