FORNEY, Texas — A Forney daycare worker is facing criminal charges following a distressing incident in which a 5-year-old girl was left unattended on a locked bus during a day of triple-digit temperatures.The incident occurred on August 14 at Arka Montessori, located off Pinson Road. According to th...

Investigation Underway After 5-Year-Old Left on Hot Forney Daycare Bus

FORNEY, Texas — A Forney daycare worker is facing criminal charges following a distressing incident in which a 5-year-old girl was left unattended on a locked bus during a day of triple-digit temperatures.

The Incident

The incident occurred on August 14 at Arka Montessori, located off Pinson Road. According to the family’s attorney, the child was picked up from school by a daycare-operated bus. After falling asleep during the ride, the young girl remained on board when the vehicle reached the daycare facility. The driver reportedly failed to perform a mandatory check to ensure all children had disembarked.

The child remained trapped inside the sweltering bus for more than two hours. It was not until the girl’s older sister arrived at the facility to pick her up that the family realized she was missing. After contacting their mother, the two began searching the campus.

"Both her mom and her sister found her on that bus. They saw the little red bandana she was wearing that morning. They saw the buses back there and saw the little red bandana in the window," said family attorney Mike Collier.

Legal Consequences and Medical Impact

Following the discovery, the 5-year-old was transported to a local hospital, where she was treated for dehydration. While the official police report remains heavily redacted due to the involvement of a minor, authorities have confirmed that the bus driver, 37-year-old Jessica Smith-Ward, has been charged with child abandonment and endangerment.

The child’s father, Sorie Tejan, expressed the profound emotional toll the incident has taken on his daughter. "I need justice for my daughter. We have to go through this trauma," Tejan said. "The place I thought was safe for her and other families—she doesn't even want to see the building. When I drive around, she says this is a bad place."

Moving Forward

While the family has not yet filed a lawsuit, they have chosen to speak publicly about the ordeal to raise awareness among other parents regarding daycare safety protocols.

FOX 4 News, which first reported the story, noted that Arka Montessori has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the incident.