KISSIMMEE, FL (AP) -- Two former Osceola County school district employees face criminal charges after authorities say they accidentally left a 3-year-old special needs child in a bus for six hours.
The sheriff's office charged the bus driver, 66-year-old Benjamin Gonzalez, and the aide responsible for the child, 60-year-old Carmen Pacheco, with child neglect Thursday. A school district spokeswoman says both employees were suspended without pay and later resigned.
The young boy was found in the bus Tuesday afternoon. School officials called his mother and told her what had happened.
The boy appeared to be in good health, but the mother took him to the hospital as a precaution.
The state Department of Children and Families began investigating, which led to Thursday's arrests.
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Information from: Orlando Sentinel, http://www.orlandosentinel.com
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
APTV 11-06-09 0307EST
