Nap on school bus gets boy stranded

Posted at: 10/28/2009 5:58 PM | Updated at: 10/28/2009 6:26 PM
By: Joe Bartels, KOBR, Matthew Kappus, KOB.com

Christina and Max Hutchins

The parents of a Ruidoso kindergartner got quite a scare Tuesday when they found out the boy wasn't at school.

Max Hutchins fell asleep on the bus on the way there. But the substitute bus driver never noticed he didn't get off and returned to the bus yard with Max still on.

Police say security cameras show the driver walking the bus to make sure it was empty. But somehow, he didn't see Max, who was still asleep.

Max's parents didn't know their son didn't make it to class until they got a phone call from police about a boy walking on the highway. Police later dropped Max off at home.

"He wanted a big hug, he didn't want me to put him down," said Max's mother, Christina Hutchins. "He was really, really scared. The police said Max was really cold when he found him."

Christina Hutchins says she isn't angry at the bus driver, just disappointed that he didn't do a better job of inspecting the bus. There is no word if charges will be filed.

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