A 9-year-old in Gloucester Township, N.J., fell asleep on a bus on Aug. 6 and woke up alone at the district transportation yard. He opened the bus door and walked into the lot, where a GTPS employee found him; Child Protective Services was notified and the boy returned to school. His mother, Wanda Chandler, called the incident "unacceptable" and is seeking answers about lapses in safety procedures.
9-Year-Old Wakes Alone on Empty School Bus at District Depot After Falling Asleep, Mother Demands Answers
School buses in parking lotCredit: 6abc Philadelphia/Youtube
A 9-year-old boy woke up alone on an empty school bus parked at the Gloucester Township Public Schools (GTPS) transportation yard in Blackwood, New Jersey, on Thursday, Aug. 6, after dozing off during his ride to summer classes, his mother says.
The boy told reporters he had to raise the latch to open the bus door and walk into the parking lot to find help before a district employee located him, according to local coverage.
What Happened
Wanda Chandler said she received a call from GTPS roughly two and a half hours after the bus left, informing her that her son had not arrived at Union Valley Elementary School. The district — which provides the transportation — later determined the child had fallen asleep, missed his stop and remained on the bus until it returned to the transportation yard.
"I lifted up this thing to open the door. I got off the bus and looked for anyone. I found this man, so I asked him, 'Do you know where I can go back?'" the boy recalled.
A GTPS employee found the child walking through the parking lot, asked his name and age, then brought him inside, Chandler said. Child Protective Services was notified, and the boy was later taken to school to finish his last day of summer classes.
Happy children getting on school busCredit: Getty
Parent Concerns and District Response
Chandler, who said the family recently moved into the district and had her son riding the bus during summer to get him comfortable traveling alone during the school year, criticized the district for what she described as a serious safety lapse.
"This is unacceptable. Shame on you. You should've known better. You should've practiced all safety protocols that were in place," she told WPVI.
According to the family, they had been told a driver and an aide were on board that morning to assist students. PEOPLE reported that the outlet and the family contacted the district; GTPS had not provided a public comment at the time of reporting.
Safety Takeaways
The episode has raised questions about bus supervision, head counts, and protocols for confirming every child disembarks at the correct stop. Parents and districts often cite the importance of routine checks, two-person staffing on routes with younger children, and clear communication with families when a student is missing.
PEOPLE and WPVI covered the incident. The family says they want clearer explanations and fixes to prevent a similar scare from happening again.
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