A Florida bus driver has been arrested and charged with child neglect after she allegedly left a sleeping child on her bus while she ran errands, according to multiple media outlets.
Elizabeth Carrero, a 33-year-old Miami Gardens resident, picked up the 4-year-old girl at 7:30 a.m. on Sept. 19 along with 11 other children ahead of the school day, according to WSVN.
NBC Miami reported that the child fell asleep on the bus to Henry ES Reeves K-8 Center Primary Academy and that Carrero then allegedly began running errands with the child on the bus after dropping off other children.
The driver dropped off the rest of the children at 7:45 a.m., but the child who remained on the bus apparently did not return to his parents until more than three hours later, CBS News reports.
Carrero went to the bank, visited a mechanic, filled up on gas and went home to make breakfast while the child was still on the bus, reports NBC Miami.
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An arrest report obtained by the paper said a neighbor noticed the child “drenched in sweat” as she got off the bus, prompting the neighbor to knock on the door of Carrera’s home. After being alerted to the child’s presence, Carrero then called the girl’s parents — who then arrived to pick up their child.
Carrero was arrested Thursday and charged with one count of child neglect, WSVN, NBC Miami and CBS Miami reported. NBC Miami reported that the driver was released from jail after posting bail.
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A video posted by CBS Miami shows what appears to be Carrero walking out of jail earlier this week, covering his face.
The Miami-Dade Police Department and the child’s school did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Saturday.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education