NEW ORLEANS — It was only the second day of first grade for Lailah King who is attending Alice Harte Charter School. Thursday afternoon, she was dropped off at the wrong bus stop.
She was supposed to be taking a bus to her grandmother's house but for nearly 30 minutes, her mother had no idea where she was.
Shelita King's eighth grade son called her telling her his little sister, Lailah, wasn't on the bus home.
"My heart dropped. I didn't know what to do," King said.
After nearly 30 minutes of panic, she got a call of relief. Someone who knew the family saw the 6-year-old walking and gave her a ride to her grandmother's.
"It could have been anybody just took her to their house and I wouldn't see my baby no more," King said.
The first grader was dropped off at the same bus stop where she's picked up in the mornings. She knew her mother wouldn't be home so she began walking a .6 mile walk to her grandmother's house. King says she takes a different bus home because of her schedule. She's not sure why her daughter was not put on the bus to her grandmother's.
Lailah's aunt, Susan Gilbert, used to be a school bus driver herself.
"That's a responsibility of your's, you're supposed to make sure somebody is at the bus stop," Gilbert said.
The Inspire NOLA Charter Schools handbook reads explains that parents or a designated person must meet kids under second grade after school. It reads, "A legal parent/guardian/designee must be at the bus stop with students under 2nd grade."
King and Gilbert went to the school and met with with the principal to find out what happened.
"He said he was going to take care of it because he was very frustrated," King said.
Inspire NOLA told us they believed she was put on the correct bus, but they are investigating why she was dropped off where she was without an adult.
"I recommend parents get a cell phone for their kids so they can track them see where they at", King said.
It's advice she may take up herself. King also believes parents need to teach their kids not to get off the bus if an adult they know isn't there. She also recommends parents make sure their kids have their number memorized and if they do find themselves alone, find someone trustworthy for help.
"Talk to a police officer, hey I'm lost can you help me out," King said.
The school bus company that Alice Harte uses is called First Student. We reached out by phone and online message but have not heard back.