Boy with Autism Dropped Off at Wrong Location Over an Hour Away from Home

A Connecticut mother of a 13-year-old student with autism said a school van mistakenly drove her son to another city instead of their home amid bus service delays during the first week of the new school year. 

Somers McCray of New Britain told the Connecticut Post that her son Cortney didn’t arrive home after the second day of school ended at 3:30 p.m. local time on Friday, Aug. 29. She said he missed the first day of school on Thursday, Aug. 28, “because he didn’t get picked up.” 

Recalling a phone conversation with Cortney on Aug. 29, McCray told CBS affiliate WFSB, “He’s saying he’s in the car and saying he’s on his way but he’s not here.”

McCray said that she contacted the bus company, First Student Transportation, and was told the vehicle’s GPS tracking wasn’t working, the outlet reported. 

She was then able to track Cortney’s whereabouts using an iPhone locator and saw that he was actually in Danbury, which is about 40 miles from New Britain, per NBC affiliate WVIT.

McCray said the school district’s transportation department later contacted her and informed her that the school van would be at a Southington 7-Eleven, where McCray later picked up Cortney. 

After a three-hour ride in the van, McCray said her son “got out and then he ran to me,” according to the Post. “He said, ‘Mom, I’m so tired and I have a headache.’” She also told the newspaper that a new school bus company picked up her son for the next few days without any issues.  

McCrary said she later shared what happened to her son on social media, and that she heard similar experiences from other families. 

“Everyone is saying how their kids got home at 7 o’clock at night,” McCrary told WFSB, adding, “This is a real disturbance to parents and kids at the end of the day.”

In a message to PEOPLE on Friday, Sept. 5, McCray further clarified what happened.

“Everyone thinks this was a wrong bus situation, but it wasn’t,” she wrote. “The right bus picked up my child and ended up in the wrong direction.”

She also said she doesn’t know why the school van driver went the wrong way or didn’t contact dispatch. The mother also said that Cortney and the driver were the only people in the van at the time of the incident.

The episode involving McCray’s son comes as New Britain parents complained that First Student Transportation, which was contracted by the city, made late pickups and drop-offs, WVIT reported.  

In response to the service issues, the Consolidated School District of New Britain shared a letter from First Student Transportation on Facebook Aug. 29.

“We sincerely apologize for the frustration and inconvenience many families have experienced with student transportation during the first days of this school year,” Michael Trujillo, the company’s area general manager, wrote.

“We know how essential reliable transportation is to your family’s daily routine and for the success of our students, and we recognize that our service has not met expectations,” Trujillo shared. “Please know that we take these challenges very seriously and are committed to making the necessary improvements to ensure safe, consistent, and dependable transportation for every student.”

Trujillo’s letter cited challenges such as timely bus deliveries and driver availability as factors in what happened. The company has now taken steps to bring in drivers from other states to cover routes; appointed a location manager; and begun offering a sign-on bonus and referral bonus program to attract qualified personnel. 

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“First Student is fully committed to meeting the needs of the district and the broader community,” Trujillo further stated in the letter. “We value our long-standing partnership with New Britain School District and will continue to take every step necessary to restore the community’s confidence in our service.”

On Friday, the Consolidated School District of New Britain shared with PEOPLE a letter by superintendent Tony Glasper to parents updating them about the bus situation. 

“Thank you for your continued patience and support as we work through the transportation challenges caused by our provider, First Student,”  Glasper wrote. “While these issues have been difficult, please know we are holding First Student accountable and requiring daily improvements. We are beginning to see steady progress and want to keep you informed as this work continues.”

Glasper cited recent improvements such as First Student providing real-time information on buses and routes through the Zonar system; staffed support lines; and buses that were previously late are now closer to their scheduled pickup times. He also said that the district is continuing to work with First Student to improve late bus service times and overall service consistency. 

“We remain committed to ongoing improvements, holding First Student accountable for meeting expectations, and truly appreciate your continued patience, partnership, and trust,” Glasper’s letter concluded.

PEOPLE also reached out to First Student Transportation for comment Friday.