HIGHLAND PARK, Mich. – An eight-year-old boy was left to wander the streets of Detroit’s east side after he was put on the wrong school bus.
That mistake led to nearly five hours of frustration and fear, with two police departments searching for the young boy.
But it was a Good Samaritan who saved the day.
Kearstin Sanders was waiting to pick up her eight-year-old son Denver Young after a day at Highland Park’s Barber Preparatory Academy.
Young’s bus stop is at McNichols Road and Livernois Avenue, and after about 20 minutes of waiting, Kearstin Sanders called the school and was told that the bus was running late.
After 40 minutes, there was still no sign of the school bus, so Kearstin Sanders called the school again, but no one answered.
“I started to drive to the other bus stops and pulled out the map they gave me,” said Kearstin Sanders.
The mother was worried about her child and had no luck locating him, so she tried the bus company but got nowhere. After no response, she ultimately went to the Detroit Police Department for assistance.
Detroit police pulled the greenlight footage from a nearby gas station which showed no signs of a bus ever stopping, which is when DPD got in touch with the Highland Park Schools administration and the bus company.
“That’s when she got in contact with his actual bus driver that let me know that my son never got on the bus,” Kearstin Sanders said.
Nobody knew what happened, so DPD went out looking for Young. The department suggested Kearstin Sanders go to Highland Park Police as well since the school is there.
Hours later, the Highland Park Police Department figured out the eight-year-old was put on the wrong bus and dropped off across town on the east side at 7 Mile Road and Conant Street, far from his correct bus stop on West McNichols and Livernois Avenue.
As everybody rushed to Seven Mile Road and Conant Street, Kearstin Sanders got a call that Young had made it home.
“I got here in about 20 minutes, and my son was standing on the porch and was like, ‘Hi, mom,’” Kearstin Sanders said.
After talking to her son, she finally received the whole story about what happened.
“He was like, ‘I was scared and crying, but I’m OK, I’m at home now,’” Kearstin Sanders said.
Young wandered 7 Mile Road and Conant Street area after telling the bus driver that he had no idea where he was being left.
He was upset and crying, and nobody stopped for hours until one man did.
Young is not supposed to talk to strangers, but the Good Samaritan told the boy either he was going to have to go to the police or he could tell him where he lived.
The eight-year-old told the Samaritan that he lived near Six Mile Road and Harlow Avenue. So the Samaritan got out his phone, google mapped the address, and had Young show him where he lived.
He then bought fares for them on a city bus and took him home. Kearstin Sanders said she couldn’t thank the Samaritan enough.
“He told me he has nieces and nephews and didn’t want to leave him there,” Kearstin Sanders said.
The Highland Park School District sent out a statement about the incident.
