GROVE CITY, OH (WCMH) — A Grove City mom said a school lost her daughter Tuesday afternoon.
She said when she went to pick up her kindergartner Tuesday from Richard Avenue Elementary she wasn’t there.
The South-Western City School District said the five-year-old who is normally a walker, got onto a school bus while the teacher was distracted by another student. After realizing what happened, the bus brought the child back. Her mom said it’s clear the school needs more eyes on students.
“I thought I was not going to see her again,” said Jeny Mitchell.
The Grove City mom said she’s never been more terrified to learn her child wasn’t at school when she went to pick her up.
“I’m afraid to send her back to school. I am utterly afraid she has to go back to school tomorrow,” she said.
Mitchell said she was waiting for her five-year-old Holly outside of the school when she said she never came out.
“All the other students were being let out, picked up and once everyone was gone she still didn’t appear and her teacher brought me inside and said your daughter’s gone.”
The South-Western City School District didn’t want to go on camera. It said while the teacher was tending to another child, Holly jumped in the bus line, wanting to ride the bus. After realizing what happened, it says it knew exactly where she was, on one of three buses. It said the bus brought her right back. The district said it’s usually a lot more diligent.
“They were telling me that they couldn’t find her. She was gone and they had no idea where she was,” said Mitchell.
Mitchell said she can’t imagine what could have happened if the bus driver let her off somewhere else.
“I was thanking God, literally praying in my head, thank God she’s okay.”
Mitchell hopes changes are made to prevent something like this from ever happening again. The district said it’s always reviewing and evaluating its safety measures for improvement.