By Scheffie Sarver
The Cincinnati Enquirer

HAMILTON - A school bus driver overlooked a sleeping kindergartner Tuesday after she dropped students at McKinley Kindergarten Center, triggering a short but frantic search by parents, police and school officials.

Erik Rumpke, 5, was discovered unharmed and sleeping on the bus at the Hamilton City Schools bus garage. The school is investigating the incident.

Erik's parents, Dawn and Stephen Rumpke, were alerted when the school called shortly after 9 a.m., asking why he was absent.

"We put him on the bus. An hour later they called and asked why Erik wasn't in school," said Stephen Rumpke, 40. "We said, 'Well, we put him on the bus.'"

Erik's mother said she "walked around (home) with my gut in a knot for an hour."

The school district's procedure requires drivers to check the buses, said Joni Copas, director of communications for the Hamilton City School District. "She did not see the student," Copas said.

District Transportation Director Beverly Martin is investigating and will review the district's bus safety policies, Copas said.

The driver is a school employee. It's unclear whether any disciplinary action will be taken against her. The district did not release her name.

Bus riding is a new experience for Erik. He started the full-day kindergarten in January, transferring from Hamilton Christian to McKinley Kindergarten Center. To get to McKinley he changes buses at Cleveland Elementary.

A color code system is used to make sure everyone gets to their destination, the boy's mother said. Erik carries a 6-by-7-inch card with his name, school and a red dot with his bus number. Because of that system, she felt confident allowing Erik to ride the bus by himself.

"If you're going to have little people transferring buses, by God, you have to pay attention," she said.

In a panic to find their son, the Rumpkes called police. Stephen Rumpke went to Cleveland Elementary to begin his search. The school called the bus garage and the boy was found about 9:45 a.m.

The incident has left the Rumpkes with more questions than answers from the school district.

"The bus driver yelled his name and he didn't answer" when they reached the school, said Stephen Rumpke. "My question is why she didn't walk the bus."

Erik's parents said the boy seemed unfazed.

Despite Tuesday's mishap, Dawn Rumpke says she'll likely put Erik on the bus again today.