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Petersburg 5-year-old put on wrong bus, winds up miles away from home

Posted at 7:15 PM, Jun 27, 2017
and last updated 2017-06-27 19:15:56-04

PETERSBURG, Va. – A five-year-old student’s first ever bus ride may be her last for a while, her mom said.

Kayla Salamone told the CBS 6 Problem Solvers that her daughter made it to Walnut Hill Elementary school just fine, but the two block bus ride home turned into quite the ordeal when the young student ended up miles away.

“I`m calling the school and they don`t have any idea where she is,” Salamone said. “She has her name tag that says what bus number and all her information -- there should have been no mistake.”

Ms. Salamone was put on the wrong bus home.

A Petersburg schools spokesperson told CBS 6 Kamyyah was mistakenly put on the wrong bus.

Two older students who rode the bus with her watched it all unfold and said they tried to help the youngster.

“I saw Kamyyah [on the wrong bus] and I told the bus driver that she is supposed to be on our bus and then he said go and sit down,” said Akira Russell.

“I saw Kamyyah walking with the teacher, getting on the bus behind us,” said Tylove Gholson. “I witnessed her tell the bus driver that she was supposed to be on our bus, but like she said he told us to sit down.”

“I knew they tried to tell it, because they know the kids in our neighborhood and know who is supposed to get on the same bus,” said Tenille Browder, a concerned neighbor.

Salamone with her family in Petersburg.

Kamyyah`s parents said they`re baffled to find out she ended up at the Boys And Girls Club, where her dad picked her up nearly two hours later.

“As a child, your five-year-old daughter is missing and nobody knows where?” Salamone said. “How can I trust getting on a bus ever again?”

A representative with Petersburg Schools said they are identifying ways to make needed changes so the issue doesn't happen again.

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