A young girl was stranded for hours in the pouring rain after a bus driver dropped her off at the wrong spot, according to her mother.
Aigner Ross says she told officials at Walter Palmer Charter School in Northern Liberties to drop her 7-year-old daughter Shelaya and 6-year-old son Nasir off at 26th and Tasker after school.
According to Ross, however, Shelaya was the only one who got on the bus, which is owned by the Durham Bus Company. Once she was onboard, Ross claims the driver spotted a man flagging him down at 20th and Tasker. Assuming the man was a relative of the young girl, the driver dropped her off at that location, according to Ross.
The young girl wandered the streets for five hours as strong thunderstorms and heavy rain moved into the area. Meanwhile the family reported her missing around 5:30 p.m. when she never returned home.
Police searched the school, located on the 900 block of North 6th Street, twice but couldn’t find her. They also searched the bus lot at 2500 Aramingo Avenue to see if she was accidentally left on the bus but still couldn’t find her.
The girl’s aunt finally found her at 11th street and Girard Avenue around 9:30 p.m. soaking wet and shivering.
"She was crying," Ross said. "She was upset. She was scared and she was cold."
On Tuesday, Ross went to Walter Palmer Charter demanding answers from school officials. She claims school administrators called the police and had her escorted out of the building after they discovered she was speaking to NBC10. NBC10 also tried to speak to school administrators about the incident but they refused to comment.
A spokesperson with the Durham Bus Company would not confirm Ross' claims but said they were investigating.
"The top priority is safety," the spokesperson said. "As such we are working closely with the school district to determine the events that took place yesterday."
Ross says she's in the process of searching for another school for her children.
