A New Jersey school bus driver and an aide were arrested after an 8-year-old special education child was left on a bus for hours in the cold, authorities said.
North Bergen Superintendent of Schools Robert Dandorph said Thursday that the student from Kennedy School was picked up at his home on the morning of March 11 by Hudson County Transport, a private bus company under contract with the board of education.
The boy, who has Russell-Silver syndrome, a rare genetic disorder, apparently fell asleep on the bus and never arrived at school, police said.
The driver and aide later found the boy had been left on the bus alone for hours after the other children were dropped off.
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Police were notified and the workers were arrested.
"We are deeply grateful that this child was not harmed and we are shocked by the inexcusable neglect and incompetence of the bus company's employees," Dandorph said in a statement. "It is shocking that adults we trust to protect our children could show such callous disregard for their welfare. We demand a thorough investigation of the company’s procedures to ensure that nothing like this could ever happen to another child.”
Hudson County Transport has not responded to requests for comment.
Parents outside the school Thursday said they were concerned close attention isn't being paid to children riding buses.
"It's always that fear your child will get left behind," said Miriam Gonzalez.
