3-year-old ‘drenched in sweat and lethargic’ after being left in school van, PA cops say

When their 3-year-old didn’t come home from his Head Start program at the usual time, his worried parents called police, school officials in Pennsylvania said.

The boy then was found in a Baldwin-Whitehall School District van in the secured bus yard, police and school officials say.

He was “drenched in sweat and lethargic,” police said, according to WTAE.

The Baldwin Borough Police Department received the 911 call reporting the missing boy about 5 p.m. on Monday, June 27. He should have been dropped off at about 3:40 p.m., WTAE reported.

“Aside from mild dehydration, the student was in good health,” Superintendent Dr . Randal A. Lutz said in a statement obtained by McClatchy News. “They were immediately transported to Children’s Hospital for a wellness check before being reunited with their parents.”

Police investigated the incident and charged the van driver with one count of endangering the welfare of children. School officials say the driver is also on leave.

“There is no excuse for this incident, as our policy mandates that all transportation vehicles are checked at the end of every route to ensure that all students have been returned home safely,” Lutz wrote.

The toddler is a student of Baldwin-Whitehall, Allegheny Intermediate Unit and the Elizabeth Forward Head Start Program, according to Lutz.

“As a parent myself, I deeply empathize with the concern this student’s family felt when their child did not return home as expected,” he continued. “While I am relieved that this incident ended safely, it underscores the importance of always following all safety procedures to ensure that something like this cannot happen again. In response, the District is scrutinizing all related policies, procedures, and training, to ensure avoidance of future issues.”

The district serves students in suburban Pittsburgh.