A three-year-old boy in New Jersey is lucky to be alive after he was left on a bus for more than 5 hours in below freezing temperatures.
In Franklin Park, New Jersey, the high for Wednesday was about 20 with a low of 5 degrees. Three-year-old Adem, who has autism, was left on a bus in those conditions from 8 a.m. to a little past 2 p.m., and his mom was never notified. (Via News 12 New Jersey)
"I get no notification, that he was even missing. I mean if someone had called and said, 'Hey your son's not in school today,' we would have looked for him. He wouldn't have been sitting there for five hours." (Via WNBC)
The Franklin Township Public School District issued a statement saying Adem was marked as a verified absence and that's why his mother was never called. (Via WABC)
But the breakdown that left Adem on the frigid bus for hours was two fold. Next up the, now unemployed, bus driver.
"The driver must walk all the way to the back through the bus and open the back emergency door"
"But instead he went outside?"
"Instead, he went outside and opened the door from the back." (Via WCBS)
To make matters worse there were only ten kids on the bus in the first place and less than 15 in the class. Adem was attending his fourth day of a special program for autistic students.
Despite the traumatic event, Adem's mom seems to be thankful. "Thank God I bundled him with layers and his hat and gloves, ... He could have died. He could have frozen to death. He seems fine." (Via USA Today)
Adem's parents let the three-year-old stay home Wednesday, and they haven't decided whether he will return to the Franklin Township Program. The school district also says it is investigating Adem's school.
