Hours-long school bus delay panics parents

Police were called to search for the bus, and the children weren’t able to reunite with their families until just before 8 p.m. Thursday.

The kids are OK, but their parents want answers.

Frightened parents called police and FOX 4 when the bus didn’t show up to its scheduled spot. They did not know where their kids were for three hours and 40 minutes.

The kids, who are in pre-K to first grade, go to a charter school in Red Bird called KIPP Destiny and get dropped off at J.N. Ervin in the afternoons.

On Thursday, the parents showed up, but the bus didn’t. 

“Somebody's child had a cell phone and they just called me and my baby was in the background crying,” said parent Moniqua Hoskin. “All I could do was try to calm her down.”   

The parents said they tried calling the school, but the office was closed. 

They called the Durham Bus Company. Parents said that initially, a dispatcher said the driver missed the stop. Then he was lost, and then the bus had broken down, but the parents say no one could tell them where.

Parents were sent to other locations, where they were told the bus would drop off the kids. 

But again, there kids weren’t there.

Police put up a helicopter to search for the bus. 

Just before 7:45 p.m. Thursday, the bus pulled up with another following it.

FOX 4 counted eight kids who got off and ran to their anxious parents. 

“We are very relieved right now because we finally got our kids,” said parent Diana Brown. “After a very long day.”   

“I'm still upset,” said Hoskin. “I'm thinking about taking my child out of the school.  Nobody should have to go through this nobody. 

The principal at KIPP Destiny learned there was a problem late Thursday evening and says she’s still trying to get answers on what happened. 

Police say that they’re taking an informational report. They didn’t see signs of abuse or anything criminal.