4-Year-Old Girl Left On Puyallup School Bus

A 4-year-old preschool student was left unattended on a school bus in Puyallup Monday, a district official confirmed.

A mechanic at the bus garage discovered the girl around 8:30 a.m. after hearing her crying, Puyallup School District spokeswoman Karen Hansen said.

The girl was physically OK, but upset.

“The bus driver should have walked the inside of the bus, which is the procedure. Should have checked for anything left in the bus, or any children that might be sleeping in the bus, but she did not,” Hansen said.

Hansen said the driver dropped off seven other students at Sunrise Elementary, where the girl is a student, before returning to the lot with the girl still buckled in.

“Should have again have done that check and posted a sign that said bus empty in the back of the bus on the window. That did not happen,” Hansen said.

Hansen said the girl was left on the bus "for a few minutes."

A letter sent home to parents said the veteran bus driver violated policy not once, but three times.

The driver is on paid administrative leave pending an investigation.

Last week, another 4-year-old girl was left on a school bus in Bainbridge Island for more than two hours. The special needs student was unable to speak and could not get out of a car seat while the bus was parked in the bus barn.

According to a state policy, a school bus driver should check the bus after a trip to be sure no one is left on board.

Previous Stories: February 5, 2010: Special Needs Child Left On Bainbridge Island School Bus