A Vance County couple, Tori and David McGhee, told WRAL News that their 7-year-old daughter was left alone in a Vance County classroom for hours after dismissal.
“I was waiting for my daughter at the end of our driveway. The bus just slowly rolled past my house and never stopped,” Tori McGhee said. “I contacted her father and said, 'They never dropped (the child) off the bus.'”
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According to court documents, the first grader was “left unsupervised” at a Dabney Elementary School on Dec. 9, 2024. The McGhees say their daughter has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and behavior disorder.
On Monday, a Vance County superior court judge allowed the Vance County Sheriff’s Office to release body camera footage of the moments they found the child to her parents and their attorney.
Documents say deputies found the student around 5:30 p.m. that day. That is hours after the end of teacher office hours, according to the most recent schedule posted on the school website.
After the child did not get off the bus, David McGhee went to the school.
“He went to the school to wait for the bus to get there. That's when he called me and let me know the bus driver said she wasn't on the bus,” Tori McGhee recalled.
Tori McGhee said her daughter was so distressed by the incident that she no longer wants to go to school.
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Court documents say deputies interviewed teachers, principals and other witnesses related to the incident.
WRAL asked the McGhees how their daughter missed the bus.
“When we asked her how she got left at school, she said her teacher left her in the bathroom, that she never took her for dismissal to the bus,” Tori McGhee explained. “All the students in her class went to the bathroom after recess. The teacher never accounted for my daughter coming out of the bathroom. And, [the teacher] left to go home for the day.”
Two days after the incident, Vance County Schools addressed it on social media, posting:
“We are aware of an incident that took place at Dabney Elementary School on Monday, December 9, 2024. At no time was the student involved left alone in the building. The district is currently conducting a thorough investigation to gather all relevant information regarding the matter.
The safety and well-being of our students are our top priorities, and we are committed to ensuring a secure and supportive learning environment for all.”
When WRAL News tried to get answers, a spokesperson said no one from the district was available for an interview.
"Unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate your request at this time because we are currently working through internal processes,” district spokesperson Aarika Sandlin wrote back via email.
WRAL asked why it took so long to return the student to her parents, especially if the student was being supervised, how it was overlooked that the student missed the bus and whether any staff members have faced any disciplinary action at this point.
“The school system, they failed this child. They left her in the school building alone for four hours,” community activist John Miles said.