'It's Just Scary': Indiana Second-Grader Left Sleeping Alone On School Bus

A young southern Indiana student was left in a scary situation after falling asleep on the school bus, reported WDRB.

Karleigh Cox was on the bus heading to school early on Monday morning when she fell asleep. She then ended up miles away from school all alone.

Kayleigh Cox, Karleigh's mother, said, "She gets on the bus between 7:05 and 7:15 every morning. It’s just scary and it doesn’t need to happen again."

When Karleigh woke up, she couldn't believe what was happening. She said, "I saw buttons and I was like, 'Do I push them or do I not push them?'"

Eventually, she figured out how to open the bus door. She said, "I remember there was an emergency lever. So at first, I did this, and it still wouldn’t open. And then I did that, and it opened."

Karleigh then went to the closest door and knocked on it for help. She said, "I knocked on the door and I told them what happened. They said, 'Come on in.'" Thankfully, the people inside the home worked at her elementary school and knew her. They ended up taking Karleigh to school.

So how did this happen?

The school bus had a substitute driver that day and they forgot to check the bus before exiting.

Crawford County Superintendent Mike Key said:

"The driver of that bus had a COVID situation, and we needed a sub driver, and he agreed to come back because he had maintained his license. We have investigated and we have disciplined this particular driver."