Bus driver who found child left on bus speaks out

The Coachella Valley Unified School District is vowing to never forget a child on a school bus again. This after a special needs 6th grader was found on a bus Monday morning alone crying.

We first broke the story Wednesday night and Friday night we’re hearing a first hand account of what happened. The driver who found the boy spoke only with News Channel 3 and CBS Local 2 News.

“This is where I found the student standing the doors were closed,” described Rosa Tejeda.

Tejeda has been transporting kids for over ten years.

“I love kids, I love my job,” said Tejeda.

Her day typically starts at 5:30 a.m., returning her bus to the bus yard around 9:30 a.m..

“Monday I came back to the yard a little bit earlier than usual and as I was parking my bus right next to bus 111, I noticed a child standing on the stairs, crying, scared,” said Tejeda.

Tejeda found the special needs boy all by himself, the district tells us the child was alone for about 30 minutes.

“He was ok, I asked him if he was ok. He told me yes he was ok. I asked him if he was scared, he told me yes. I asked him, if he knew what had happened he said no,” said Tejeda.

“This can’t happen and in today’s society when we have so many technological advances we have systems and procedures in place, for two individuals to leave a student on the bus is unacceptable,” said CVUSD Superintendent Darryl Adams.

The veteran driver and trainer of bus 111 are on paid leave while the district investigates. Meanwhile changes are already being made.

“We did not follow the protocol,” said Transportation director Glenn Perry.

“We put signs in each of the buses reminding them to check their bus and we are also putting in a double redundant alarm system that drivers will go to the back of the bus,” said Perry.

Some bus drivers, including Tejeda, already do something similar with an electronic student check. Using an electronic control the driver has to touch it to a sensor on the dash board and then one at the back of the bus. The new system will sound an alarm, if it’s not done.

Tejeda’s bus, the same model as bus 11, has two cameras. Adams tells us no functioning cameras were on bus 111, the bus where the child was found or at the bus yard.

“Some have operating systems and some do not and some are still being implemented or put onto some of the buses but by the end of this year i think they will all be equip with cameras,” said Adams.

With or without technology Tejeda says it’s all about the kids. She was glad she was in the right place at the right time.

“If it wasn’t me it would have been someone else,” said Tejeda.