Delaware

Police: Students — including kindergartners — kicked off bus, abandoned

Newark, Del. officials are investigating after, they say, a driver on a bus carrying students from Newark Charter Schools kicked children off at the wrong stop and abandoned them on Tuesday afternoon

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Police in Delaware are investigating after a school bus driver allegedly kicked a busload of children off at a location away from their normal stop and abandoned them there on Tuesday afternoon.

According to police, the incident happened at about 4:14 p.m. on Tuesday when a bus driver carrying children from Newark Charter School stopped their vehicle at a location that was not the students' normal bus stop.

Officials said the bus driver, allegedly, forced ten children -- in grades kindergarten through 5th -- off of the bus before they drove away and abandoned the children.

Police arrived to find the ten children in good health at a bus stop in the Robscott Manor neighborhood just outside the City of Newark, Del., officials said.

Law enforcement officials said they worked with Newark Charter School to ensure all of the students were reunited with their parents and/or guardians.

With the help of the Delaware State Police, investigators were able to locate the bus, which had no other students on it, as well as the driver, officials said.

However, police officials did not provide any further identifying information in the driver, but they noted that the individual "will no longer be driving the school bus for the school bus company or Newark Charter Schools."

Police did not say if this individual would face charges for this incident.

But, they did say an investigation is ongoing and Newark Charter School is cooperating with police officials.

Anyone with information or who may have witnessed the incident is asked to contact Corporal Pagnotti at 302-366-7100 x. 3406 or apagnotti@newark.de.us or Corporal Graber at 302-366-7100 x.3436 or ngraber@newark.de.us.

Additional methods for providing information to Newark Police can be found on the Newark Police Department's tips webpage, where reward information may also be available.

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