A bus driver for the Vicksburg Warren School District was fired after leaving a sleeping special-needs child on the bus Friday afternoon, Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Swinford said today.

“Per district policy, if you a leave a child on the bus, you will no longer be employed by the district,” Swinford said. “That driver no longer works for us.”

Neither the driver’s nor the parents’ names were made public because of school policy on personnel issues and privacy for the family.

Swinford said the child, typically last to be dropped off on his route, was asleep on the bus. She said the child’s mother knew where the bus driver lived and went to the house after the child was not dropped off. Swinford said she did not know how long the child was on the bus.

“The mother knew where the child was and reacted pretty quickly,” Swinford said. “The fear is that they either dehydrate or wake up scared and hysterical. Thanks to the mom, none of that happened and the child is fine.”