Autistic 4-year-old left on Dallas ISD bus for 7 hours

DALLAS - The parents of a Dallas ISD preschooler are outraged that their 4-year-old was left alone on a hot school bus for hours.

"I depended on them. I trusted them with my child and they dropped the ball. I’m just thankful I still have her," said Robert Pruitt.

Pruitt's 4-year-old daughter Araiya is a preschool student at Clinton P. Russell Elementary School in Dallas ISD.

Tuesday morning, the bus picked her up just before 8 a.m., but it wasn't until the end of the school day that Pruit said his wife got a dreaded call.

"On the other line with me after that hysterical saying that our daughter never made it to school saying that our daughter was left in the school bus for seven hours," recalled Pruitt.

The girl was left at the bus depot in Lancaster with temperatures in the 90s.

"She is autistic, she is non-verbal, she couldn’t say anything and bring attention to herself. It’s probably part of the reason she was left," said Pruitt.

Pruitt says he was at work on a route hours away in Commerce.

The child was taken to the hospital to be evaluated and given fluids.

When Pruitt arrived he said he was being discharged.

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Dallas ISD sent an updated statement to FOX 4 on Wednesday afternoon.

"Student safety is our highest priority. We are appalled about the incident involving a pre-K student who remained on a bus yesterday. We are grateful the student is well and are conducting a thorough investigation. Dallas ISD is committed to the safety and well-being of all our students," read the statement. 

Pruitt told us investigators notified him the driver was fired. That has not been confirmed by the district.

"People lose their jobs for way less, go to jail for way less. To just say he has been fired, and my daughter is traumatized and suffering. It doesn’t bring me any solace," he said.

Pruitt said district officials told him there is a hand-off process when students get to the school.

He was also told the policy is for drivers to do a sweep of the buses at the end of their shifts.

Pruitt wants this incident to be a teaching moment for others.

"Too many times we see these stories of kids left unattended on buses," he said. "God saved my daughter, not you guys. God is the reason my daughter is here, but it was supposed to be you guys. I put her in your care."

Pruitt said DISD Police called him before the interview saying they are gathering video from the bus. He says he wants to see the video.