.jpg?20260916')
A four-year-old girl was ‘forgotten’ inside an unlicensed private bus yesterday (Sep 16) on the school run.
The kindergartener suffered from heat exhaustion and is currently under medical observation at Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC).
Two people – the bus driver and supervisor who works with him – were remanded in custody as investigations continue, the Public Prosecution stated.
“The incident was discovered when the girl’s aunt called the kindergarten’s administration so she could pick her up at the end of the school day,” read the statement.
“It appeared that she never arrived at the kindergarten. “
The kindergarten had tried to contact the mother to find out the reasons for her non attendance.
“The bus driver was called that afternoon, and he discovered that the girl was inside the bus. She had suffered from heat exhaustion because she had stayed in the vehicle with closed windows and doors for several hours.
“She was taken to SMC and is under medical observation.”
The kindergarten reported the incident to the police, alleging neglect by the driver.
An investigation was immediately launched by the prosecution. The bus driver reportedly admitted that he did not have a license to operate a private transportation service, claiming he was unaware of the rules and regulations.
He also admitted that he had not made sure the bus was empty before leaving it in the morning.
A female suspect, whose job was to supervise children on the bus, also told the authorities that she had not realised the pupil was still onboard.
The prosecution ordered that the man and woman be remanded into custody for seven days, and had contacted the Education Ministry to check on administrative procedures to be taken regarding the incident.
In an update, the prosecution revealed that the bus was owned by an individual operating privately, not associated with the kindergarten.
He had reportedly been contracted directly by the parents, ‘without ensuring he had the appropriate permits, violating repeated instructions from the Education Ministry, Transportation and Telecommunications Ministry and the General Directorate of traffic’, a statement added.
It also appeared that the so-called supervisor worked with the driver and not with the kindergarten, and did not officially hold that job description.
Investigations continue, as the prosecution prepares to direct the case to criminal trial.
Last October, a four-year-old boy died after being left in the back of a vehicle by an unlicensed driver.
The young victim, Hassan Al Mahari, fell asleep on the morning trip to his kindergarten in Demistan on October 13, and the driver admitted she had forgotten he was there.
The 40-year-old Bahraini woman was charged with manslaughter, but the High Criminal Court acquitted her of charges on compassionate grounds.
The child's parents dropped the charges against the single mother-of-three, who was struggling to make ends meet and was working multiple jobs to provide for her family.
She was fined BD300 for running a transportation service, ferrying students to and from school, without acquiring a permit.
&uuid=(email))