Cops Reunite Child, Father After Bus Takes Off

TAMPA, FL — A man passing through Tampa Thursday night had every parent’s worst nightmare come true, but his story ended up on a happy note thanks to local police officers.

According to the Tampa Police Department, it received a call just after 7 p.m. about a missing 7-year-old. When officers arrived at the Marion Street Bus Terminal, 1315 N. Marion St., they spoke with the distraught dad. It seems the man and child were passengers on a private Megabus that was heading to Miami. When the bus made a stop in Tampa, the father got off to use the bathroom.

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The bus, however, “departed with the child onboard and unintentionally left the father behind,” an email from the police department said.

While the father tried to chase down the bus when he realized what happened, the driver didn’t see him.

Police were able to track down the bus about an hour outside of Tampa and get it to return for the father.

“Father and child have been reunited and there will be no criminal charges in this incident,” the agency reported. Police say there may have been a language barrier between the father and the driver of the bus.

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