A 4-year-old child who failed to get off an English academy's shuttle bus was left alone inside the vehicle for over 3 hours.
It was confirmed that even the sleeping child check system installed on the very back seat of the vehicle was turned off.
The Gyeongbu Police Agency is investigating four individuals, including the head of the academy and the bus driver, after receiving a complaint accusing them of violating the Child Welfare Act.
They are suspected of neglecting safety duties regarding an incident on the morning of October 1 when the 4-year-old girl was trapped in the academy bus.
According to reports, the 4-year-old, surnamed A, boarded the academy bus around 10 a.m. on the day of the incident, but could not get off because she was unable to unbuckle her seatbelt in the back seat.
However, the bus attendant got off the vehicle without checking the interior, and the driver likewise parked at the garage about 30 minutes later, turned off the engine, and left without inspecting the inside of the vehicle.
During this process, child A was left alone inside the bus for over 3 hours. Her parents set out to check after receiving a call from the academy stating that the child had not arrived, and finally discovered her inside the bus just before 1 p.m.
It was revealed that the driver had turned off the sleeping child check system installed on the rearmost seat of the shuttle bus.
The device is a safety measure designed to prompt drivers to check whether any children remain inside the vehicle.
Police stated, "We have finished questioning the complainant and will soon conduct investigations on the suspects," adding, "We are verifying the exact circumstances of the incident."
Reported by Jung Da-eun | Video by Kim Na-on | Graphics by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
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