Tonight a Hattieville father is speaking out after the school bus contracted by the Ministry of Education left his child at the Pound Yard stop - two miles away from his school, Buttonwood Bay Nazarene on Coney Drive. That's where a good samaritan picked up the lost child and took him to the school - reportedly on bicycle.
Isani Staine says he's grateful that he didn't lose his son, but tonight he's demanding answers:
Isani Staine is a hard working truck driver by day but tonight, he feels lucky to still have his 5 year old son, Kwesi. He says the boy was found wandering near Pound Yard Bridge on Friday morning after the Ministry of Education school bus failed to drop him off at Buttonwood Bay Nazarene Primary School.
Isani Staine, Concerned Father
"We don't know what happened Friday, but apparently my son went on the bus Friday. The driver took him: Belama, I guess he went all the route that he supposed to went and did not leave my son at the school. Instead of leaving him at the school, he took him and leave him at Pound Yard. And after leaving him at Pound Yard, he drove away."
Jules Vaasquez
"So at Pound Yard, your son..."
Isani Staine, Concerned Father
"Stays by himself with no supervision and nobody to look for him."
"Good thing there was a good Samaritan out there who picked him up and took him to the school. Up to this day, I still do not know who is that person, and I would like for you, sir or ma'am, to please come forward so that I could understand why this situation happened and why he was left at the Pound Yard."
And now Staine is furious because he hasn't gotten any answers:
Isani Staine, Concerned Father
"The teacher did not call me. The principal did not call me. Nobody call me the day that happened."
"When calling the principal, Ministry of Education, Mr. Cab, and ask him what happened. Both of them try to get themselves out of the situation. They didn't know. They don't know nothing, Mr. Cab said I was aware of it in the morning, but I thought the principal was going to tell you. Principal did not tell me nothing."
"They are trying to bring an excuse to me where I still can't understand, I can't understand excuse why, why it happened?"
On Monday he was hauling a load and went to a meeting at the school after - but by the time he got there the meeting was over:
Isani Staine, Concerned Father
"When I walk upstairs, I thought I was going to see some people to get some answers. When I reach upstairs, nobody in the office, the vice principal and the principal is there, sitting down, talking with my girlfriend."
"Just saying sorry. I'm sorry. Like. How can that fix something like that?"
Jules Vasquez
"So you're saying you haven't gotten any answer?"
Isani Staine, Concerned Father
"No answers as to why my son was left out at the bus terminal or Pound Yard in a populated area. Anything could have happened to my son. Anything. Somebody could have kidnapped him, he could have gone missing, some pedophile? Nobody know."
Jules Vasquez
"He could have been run over as well."
Isani Staine, Concerned Father
"Anything! I could have told my story totally different today. Who would have answered to me. Who am I to answer to? Where would I get answers from? The principal is running, Ministry of Education running, everyone. The bus driver couldn't even show himself. So me as a father, how should I get some answers from you people?"
"That's my first child. Can't lose him so simple like that, sir."
And this event has given him cause for sober reflection:
Isani Staine, Concerned Father
"(Blank stare) Me as a father, it hurt, man, I can't, I can't, I would like to cry. But I already did my crying over the weekend. Like literally I sat down beside my son and I watched him in his face and I cry and I tremble because I could be telling you all a different story today. It could have been way different than before, But thank God the man pick him up or the female who did and took him to the school. Like again I said, please sir, back here, my son, the last day, please come out."
"I really need to try to get this solved because I don't want this to happened to nobody else piknie out ya."
Staine asks the Good Samaritan who rescued his child to please call him at 654-2108.
We did reach out to the CEO in the Ministry of Education, as well as Sebastian Cab from the District Education office with a request for their side of the story. Just before news time CEO Dian Maheia told us, quote, "The Ministry of Education is deeply concerned about this incident and is carefully reviewing all reports. The safety and well-being of every student are our top priorities. We understand the trust families place in us each day, and we are committed to taking all necessary steps to ensure that every child feels-and is-safe while traveling on school buses."
We also reached out to the principal of Buttonwood Bay Nazarene and she said she wasn't giving any comments.
