Local mom wants answers after daughter with autism left on school bus
“It’s really scary not knowing where your kid is and not knowing answers,” said Samantha Culp.
Culp kept waiting for her 9-year-old daughter, Ava, to get home from Pittsburgh Arlington.
“It’s getting kind of later, and I’m like, ‘Where’s Ava?’” said Culp.
“We were completely lost,” said William Faulkner.
William Faulkner says only a handful of kids ride his daughter’s bus. He spoke to another parent who said her child got dropped at the normal time. Faulkner says he started driving around, looking all over for her.
“You’re just trying to figure out where to go or how to find her,” said Faulkner. “I drove to the school. There was no one at the school. I drove to every bus stop. You knew the bus wasn’t around here, and that’s why I called the police.”
Pittsburgh police say they started making calls.
“We’re going on two hours,” said Faulkner. “3:45 p.m. to 5:20 p.m. That’s a lot of time for a child with no communication. Autistic. I mean, it’s mindblowing to me.”
Eventually, an officer showed up at Ava’s home. At that point, the bus was there and so was Ava.
“She was crying,” said Culp. “Very upset. Scared.”
According to a report, the bus driver told an officer he was a sub. After he realized Ava was still on the bus, he finished his last stop in Braddock before turning around to bring Ava back to her house in Carrick.
“That’s the first time we’re hearing this,” said Culp.
In a statement, school Public Relations Director Ebony Pugh said, “The Sun Coach vehicle serves students from multiple districts, including Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS), Duquesne City Schools, and West Mifflin. A review of the video verifies that the substitute driver did stop at the assigned stop, and when no one attempted to exit or meet the bus, he proceeded on the route. While completing the Duquesne/West Mifflin route, students on the vehicle notified the driver that the student from the Carrick area route was still on the bus. Once the substitute driver completed the Duquesne/West Mifflin route, he took the Arlington student home.”
“It’s a failure on so many parts,” said Faulkner.
“Did he turn the van off,” asked Culp. “Did he get out? I don’t know.”
“She could have died,” said Faulkner. “That’s the bottom line. Hottest day of the school year. We don’t even know if she was in a parking lot.”
To be safe, Ava got checked out at UPMC Children’s Hospital. She’s fine.
But the next day, Culp picked Ava up from school.
“You should check on them,” said Culp. “Nonverbal and special needs. You should be a little bit extra careful.”
Channel 11 reached out to the bus company and will update this article with any response we receive.
Pittsburgh Public Schools says school staff worked to support the parent in getting information from the carrier, and communication protocols will be reviewed with the carrier.
“It’s a different ballgame when you’re talking about autistic and special needs students,” said Faulkner. “It’s not normal kids who say, ‘Hey, mom, I was here. Here’s what happened.’”
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