DALLAS — A Dallas couple says their four-year-old autistic daughter, Araiya, was left alone on a Dallas ISD school bus Tuesday for up to 7 hours.
"I’m beyond furious with the school district," her father, Robert Pruitt told WFAA.
"That’s my daughter," her mother, Keturah Crockett added. "You risked her life by just not following simple procedures."
The couple told WFAA they put their daughter on the bus at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday and didn't find out until the district called at 2:40 p.m. that she never made it to school. When the bus driver dropped off all the kids, they said, he assumed the bus was empty and drove it back to the bus barn, leaving Araiya behind.
"She was forgotten about," Pruitt said."I don’t know a worse form of neglect than to just be literally abandoned."
Pruitt and Crocket said Araiya was left on that hot bus, alone, for six to seven hours and was likely left strapped into her seat the entire time because she cannot unbuckle by herself.
"With no supervision, no air conditioning, no food water," Pruitt said.
"I mean it’s 98 degrees outside? Most of these stories you hear its way more tragic, you know they don’t make it."
Another driver eventually went to get the bus for pick up, they said, and found Araiya in it. She’d soiled herself and was taken to the hospital.
"My daughter was suffering for hours, for hours on end," Crockett said. "And it just makes me think did she call my name? Did she cry? Did she cry herself to sleep?"
"It’s traumatizing you know," Pruitt added.
The couple said they want answers and accountability from the district, and for their daughter's story to serve as a reminder for bus drivers all across DFW what precious cargo they carry.
"My daughter can’t speak for herself," Pruit said. "I don’t want her story swept under the rug."
"I just don’t know if I can even put her back on the bus," Crockett added
In a statement to WFAA Wednesday afternoon, the district said, "Student safety is our highest priority. We are appalled about the incident involving a pre-K student who remained on a bus yesterday. We are grateful the student is well and are conducting a thorough investigation.”