The Pella Community School District and Pella Police Department are investigating an incident in which a preschool student was left unattended in a district-owned vehicle Monday.
According to Pella Schools Superintendent Greg Ebeling, a child was left inside a parked vehicle alone in the bus lot for approximately two and 1/2 hours.The driver of the van did not drop the child off at the preschool, as was typical practice. Ebeling says an investigation into this incident is ongoing and the driver is no longer driving for the district.
Ebeling says the child was discovered in the vehicle and still secure in her child seat and playing with the items in her backpack. The district reports the child suffered no physical harm.
The Pella Police Department has been notified of the incident, according to Captain Paul Haase, and they also have an ongoing investigation. The school also self-reported to the Department of Human Services.
Ebeling says the Pella Community School District has changed attendance procedures for preschool students and guidance for van drivers as they complete each route. He says they are also in the process of equipping each preschool van with a system that will warn drivers of students left in a child seat.