Preschooler left on bus, Hopkins school district investigating

HOPKINS, Minn. (FOX 9) - A preschool student who didn’t return home as planned on Wednesday was later found still on their bus, leaving district officials investigating what happened.

What we know

Parents of students at the Gatewood Elementary School in Hopkins were notified on Nov. 20 regarding the situation that required a police presence near the end of the school day.

The letter, signed by school principal Dr. George Nolan, says that once a student did not arrive home as expected, school staff and police worked in coordination to locate the child. Paramedics were then dispatched as a precaution.

The statement says that the district is working with the bus company to "conduct a thorough investigation to understand how a child was left on the bus, and to ensure measures are in place to prevent this from happening again."

According to the district's statement, "bus drivers are trained in a specific protocol to thoroughly search a bus once students have disembarked." As a result, the driver is being interviewed to better understand the situation.

The district also says it will be, "working closely with the family to provide them with the resources and support they need to overcome the emotions they experienced."

What we don’t know

District officials have not yet confirmed a timeline regarding when the student was first discovered missing, or when they were found.