Suburban school mistakenly sent 2 kindergarteners on wrong bus home, parents say

(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — An investigation is underway in DeKalb after some scary moments for two young students and their families on the first day of school last week.

“This was pure hell for me,” Shannon Stoker said at a recent DeKalb School Board meeting. “I thought that my child was gone. I thought I was never going to see him again.”

At the meeting, which took place on Aug. 19, Stoker emotionally recalled her son Stevie's first day at Founders Elementary School, where she said he was mistaken by staff for another student.

“No one bothered to ask a child his name,” Stoker said. “He's 6 years old.”

The mix-up was not discovered until the afternoon, as Stoker tracked an air tag she placed in Stevie's backpack.

“He spent the entire day as the other child, complete with taking this child’s bus home,” she said.

Another parent, Steven Ermilio, said his 5-year-old son was dropped off six blocks from his bus stop after his first day — also at Founders.

“Anything could’ve happened to these boys,” he said. “Luckily they were both found and now are safe. You have failed us and our children. You need to learn from this.”

Added Ermilio: “It’s only the second day of school, and I do not trust the district with my children.”

The school board's president said they are working to ensure what happened to the students doesn't happen again.

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