UPDATED: Bus Drops Child, 6, Across Town; Girl Missing for 40+Minutes

UPDATED: Sunday, Sept at 12:05 a.m. with statement released by Superintendent of School Steven Hiersche late Saturday night.

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"It was the most horrifying experience of my life," said Jamey Klein.

Yesterday, he and his wife M’liss did not know where their daughter Olivia, 6 was for more than 40-plus minutes. And neither did the school, nor the police. And neither did the bus company, that was supposed to be driving her home from school.

Olivia, a first grade student at stepped onto the school bus at 2:20 p.m. but never got off at her designated stop 10 minutes away at the corner of America St. at 2:30 p.m.

Many kids were dropped off late, but Olivia was dropped off across town near Ganon Terrace.

But when the Kleins called the school to inquire where their first grade daughter was, no one knew. , not the Framingham Public Schools and not the police.

"Apparently, the bus driver, whom my daughter said didn't speak English, was dropping kids off at random stops," said Klein.

"When the bus got to the end of the route, she followed another girl off the bus and asked that girl's mom to call her parents," said Klein, who said his 6-year-old daughter gave the mom the number to call.

"The other student's mother had enough sense to ask Olivia for her number. I am grateful to her and glad Olivia remembered it! When I asked her why she got off the bus at a stop that wasn't hers she said because she was afraid to be alone with the bus driver and she didn't know how to tell him the way home," wrote M’liss Klein on the Framingham Patch Facebook page.

The Kleins have not had a good experience with bus #8 since school started on Tuesday. He said day 2 the bus was loud, unruly and late. He described day 3, yesterday as "catastrophic."

"It was 45-plus minutes of panic (and 2 hours to really figure out what was going on and where our daughter was," Klein said.

"And nobody knew what was going on," said Klein.

We called the police. We called the school. We called everyone, said Klein.

The Kleins have kind words for McCarthy Elementary secretary Christine Chesmore.

"She stayed on the phone with my wife, from the moment she called to help keep her calm," said Jamey Klein.

A day later and Klein is still furious and not happy with the answers he is getting.

He spoke to the general manager of Durham School Services, the Framingham Public Schools' new bus company, who hires the drivers and did not get a satisfactory answer, except that the driver on Thursday's bus would not be the driver on the Friday bus.

He also told Klein that they are in Framingham. (There is an ad from Durham School services, published in a local newspaper today, looking for bus drivers. The ad says $23.66 per hour. Training provided.)

Klein said when he called 9-1-1, the Framingham Police told him "that line is for emergencies" and "transferred me to the safety division and Lt Cronin. Lt Cronin was sympathetic," but did not know where the Klein's daughter was.

Klein said he spoke to Framingham Public Schools Director of Transportation Rick Gallagher, but didn't get a satisfactory answer.

Klein said he spoke to Hiersche. 

"I was told by Dr. Hiersche, just this morning, that they feel it is a Durham Bus Company problem and not a Framingham problem. I'm sorry. I totally disagree," said Klein.

Framingham Patch called Hiersche, the , and Durham School Services today. Durham School Services never called back.

Hiersche released this statement on Saturday: "The situation with the McCarthy bus was addressed on Friday with a different bus driver, who is a veteran driver for Framingham Public Schools. This was an unacceptable situation. I will report to the School Committee on Tuesday night. I, we do take our responsibility very seriously when it comes to the safety of children. I have spoken to parents and promised to follow up with them after our meeting on transportation on Tuesday."

"I am still waiting to hear answers and everybody wants to point fingers everywhere else," said Klein.

Klein said Hiersche told him that the Framingham Public Schools was meeting with Durham School Services Tuesday morning, Sept. 6 for a meeting.

"We have lost all confidence and will no longer be sending Olivia on the bus. Needless to say, we are furious," said Klein.

Klein said he spoke to McCarthy Elementary School Principal Matthew Hanlon.

"Principal Hanlon (and his staff, thank goodness that Ms. Chesmore  stayed on the phone with my wife to help try to keep her calm) were extremely concerned and genuinely felt bad; and are also working to help rectify this," said Klein.

Klein said Hanlon told him a police officer would be on bus #8 today, Sept. 2.

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Editor's Note: My daughter takes bus #8. It was on time dropping her off at her designated stop Friday afternoon. And it appeared to me, that the police officer Principal Hanlon was talking about was actually driving the bus.