Mom Outraged After Son With Autism Left On Jersey City School Bus: Report

JERSEY CITY, NJ — A Jersey City mother is furious after her 5-year-old son, who is nonverbal and has autism, was left on a city school bus for two hours on Monday, she told NJ.com.

According to the story, he was "found freezing and alone" on the bus in a parking lot on Monday, two hours after he was supposed to be brought home. His mom told the news outlet that her son is now afraid to get back on the bus.

The superintendent of schools, Norma Fernandez, told NJ.com that drivers and aides are supposed to inspect the bus for students, and that the district is investigating the incident.

Meanwhile, two other bus companies that had contracted with several New Jersey districts, including Jersey City, recently acknowledged having hired unqualified drivers. Read that story on Patch here.

This is not the first time a student with special needs has been left on a school bus. It happened in Edison in 2015, according to reports, as well as in other states, prompting new rules about checking the bus before leaving it in a lot.

And a mom in Cranford has pushed for buses to have GPS tracking systems after a bus carrying her nonverbal daughter once got lost for several hours.