Mom says smartwatch helped track down daughter who was left on school bus
She was able to call her daughter through the smartwatch. Her daughter answered and said she was still on bus.
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A mom in Wakefield wants answers after she says her 5-year-old daughter was left on the school bus.
Tia Ellis says her daughter, who is in kindergarten at P.S. 153, gets on the bus around 7:11 a.m. in Wakefield. Ellis tracks her location through the GizmoHub smartwatch app to make sure she gets to school safely. Last Monday, Ellis said her daughter arrived at school, but for an unknown reason, was never taken off the bus.
According to the app, the smartwatch pinged her daughter's location at school around 7:54 a.m., but when she checked the app again at 8:23 a.m., her daughter's location was miles away in Mount Vernon.
"She wasn't in school she was pinging off in Mount Vernon, she is 5, unacceptable," said Ellis.
Ellis says she called the school that confirmed her daughter was not in class. She was able to call her daughter through the smartwatch. Her daughter answered and said she was still on bus.
Ellis says this is her daughter's first time taking the school bus, and wears a tag around her neck that shows her drop-off and pickup locations.
"That sheds a light on deeper issue with the DOE, these budget cuts these school buses don't have matrons. Thank God my child has a Gizmo watch, but the damage is already done," said Ellis.
"The safety of our students is our top priority. Bus drivers and schools must work together to ensure students get off at the right stops, and we are following up with both the school and the bus company to reinforce this expectation," said the city's Department of Education.
The DOE says Tiffany was not left on an empty bus and was brought back to the correct school after her mother contacted the school.
Pioneer Transportation Company did not respond to a request for information.
