BARTLESVILLE, Okla. -- A 4-year old girl in Bartlesville was left alone on a hot daycare bus, according to parents.
Andy Sutton said his daughter, Sierra, was left in a Salvation Army bus after a trip to a local splash pad on Thursday.
"Whenever they got back, nobody done a head count," Sutton said. "Nobody cared to see that she got off the bus."
He said she was in there from about 3:30 p.m. until 5:15 p.m. when his wife went to pick up their two kids.
"Whenever they found her she was sitting there screaming, bawling, beet red and freaked out," Sutton said.
The father believes his daughter was sleeping under a seat on the bus.
"We had an incident concerning a child and we had a parent complain," Lt. Ian Carr, corporal officer for Salvation Army Bartlesville, said. "We immediately launched an investigation. We are very sorry for the pain and concern this has caused the family."
The pain caused to the family is more so emotional. Sutton took Sierra to a hospital to be checked out. He said the doctor was shocked but said she was physically unharmed.
The family is so thankful it was cooler outside this week, when it happened, than last week.
"Had it been last Thursday, I would probably be making funeral arrangements," Sutton said.
Sutton said that thought makes him shake. He said as a father, his biggest fear is something happening to his children that is out of his control and he said that happened.
The father does plan to file a police report. He said if parents would be held liable for something like this, then the daycare should be too.
Bartlesville Police said there are charges that can be used in cases like this, however they will have to investigate the circumstances before any decisions are made.
Sutton said his daughter is doing well today. He is not taking his children back to the Salvation Army daycare any more.
"They've broken a trust that can never be brought back," Sutton said. "My kids will never darken their doors again."
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