Autistic Boy Left Alone On Bus for an Hour

As reported on ParkRidge Herald-Advocate, a 4 year old Chicago area autistic boy was left alone on a bus for an hour while the bus driver, Yolande Knight, 60, shopped inside a card and party supplies store after dropping off other students. Kinght was arrested and charged with child endangerment and admitted that she ignored an alarm that requires her to walk to the rear of the bus when passengers exit.

An hour after his dad strapped him onto the bus the boy's mother received a call from the school aying that his back pack had arrived at school but not the boy. Police were contacted and spotted the bus outside the party supplies store with the boy locked inside.

Curiously the police allowed the driver to take the boy to school a decision which has the boy's parents, and this blog writer, puzzled.

The bus driver, Yoland Knight, no longer works for the bus company. Unfortunately the boy, who enjoyed taking the bus to school, is now being driven by his parents whose trust in the bus system and the school has been shaken.

autism