Boy, 5, gets off at wrong bus stop
OCALA, Fla. (WOGX FOX 51) - A mother is furious and wants to see changes, after her 5-year-old son was allowed to get off at the wrong bus stop.
Jamaul Jackson was excited about his first day of kindergarten at Saddlewood Elementary in Ocala, until he got off at the wrong bus stop at the end of the day.
"I cried," Jackson said, "cause I didn't know where to go. He took me to the wrong place."
Jackson 's grandfather waited for him to arrive at this bus stop outside their home, but he never showed up.
Willie Jackson explained, "I was pretty hysterical. I'm a big guy, but soft spot."
The child's mother, Latrice, said she's they had no idea where he was for around an hour.
"It was very chaotic. As a parent, my children come before everything."
Latrice says her son ended up 5 miles away, in the 4 Ranch area, when another parent spotted him at a different bus stop and called the school. The principal picked up Jamaul and took him back home.
Willie says, "The principal and vice principal were already here waiting. That made us feel real good."
We asked the Marion County School district what they're doing about this. Kevin Christian, Marion County School Spokesperson says, "We want to make sure that doesn't happen, that's why we're investigating.
If the bus driver is wrong, then we will take action. But we expect our bus drivers, especially in the first week of school to look at that colored band on their backpack or on child's wrist, to make sure they're getting off at the stop the child is supposed to."
Latrice wonders how this could happen, "He has a big yellow name tag hanging off his book bag, check it. He's a baby!"
Latrice is grateful to the mom that found Jamaul and called the school. She wants an apology from the bus driver that caused this to happen. She thinks he needs an assistant.