4-Year-Old Put in Wrong Car During Houston School Pickup — Mother Demands Answers

On Jan. 29, a Houston mother says her 4-year-old daughter, Brielle Davis, was mistakenly placed into the wrong vehicle during dismissal at Bastian Elementary School — an incident that has prompted questions about campus pickup procedures and student safety.

What Happened

Daija Spencer told Fox affiliate KRIV that her daughter arrived at the family car upset and crying after being put into a stranger's vehicle. According to Spencer, Brielle said, “Mommy, I was put in the wrong car. I didn’t see you. I didn’t see Daddy. Why didn’t you come save me?”

Local stations KRIV, KPRC and KHOU reported that the child said she did not know the driver. Spencer confirmed the account to PEOPLE and said she was already at the back of the building to pick up Brielle when her daughter described what had happened.

Bastian Elementary School in Houston, Texas.Google Maps

Conflicting Accounts

The Houston Independent School District told KPRC that a staff member mistakenly placed the 4-year-old into a vehicle with a group of students. The district said the parent who had taken the child realized the error while leaving campus, drove back to return the student, and that the student “was safely and immediately returned and remained with Bastian staff in the front office while the student’s parent was contacted and arrived to pick up the student.”

Spencer disputes parts of that account. She says the school did not contact her directly after the incident, no physical welfare check was performed on her child, and staff did not bring Brielle to the front office. She also says she has not received an incident report or been told the name of the driver or how long her daughter was off campus.

Actions Taken

The district told local media the employee has been removed from car rider duty and that additional staff were assigned to support Pre-K dismissal. School administrators also updated dismissal procedures for the student involved so she will now be dismissed directly from the front office.

Spencer says she took Brielle for a medical evaluation, filed a police report with the district, and has since unenrolled her daughter from the school. The Houston Independent School District reiterated it is “committed to ensuring the safety of students before, during and after school.” At the time of reporting, the district had not provided additional comment to PEOPLE.

Ongoing Questions

The family is seeking answers about how the child was placed into the wrong vehicle, how long she was off campus, why the child’s statements about not knowing the adults were not acted upon, and why the school did not provide immediate notification or an incident report. The case has prompted renewed attention to dismissal protocols and the safeguards schools use to reunite young children with their caregivers.