Florida A&M University is being sued by the parent of a 6-year-old who alleges her child was not properly supervised during after-school pickup at the university’s developmental research school.
The mother, Keshanna Ford, says in the complaint her daughter has suffered “conscious mental anguish and suffering … emotional distress … and psychological harm,” following the alleged incident in which the child, a registered car rider, was “placed on a random bus” after school in 2024.
Ford filed in Leon County Circuit Court on Jan. 7, accusing FAMU DRS staff and management and Milestones Learning Academy, a nearby childcare center at 702 E. Orange Ave., of negligence. She is seeking in excess of $50,000.
A complaint in a lawsuit tells only one side of a story. “FAMU DRS will not be available to comment on pending litigation,” FAMU spokesperson Alonda Thomas said.
What the complaint alleges
On Aug. 13, 2024, the second day of school that year, Ford said she was waiting in the parents car pick up line at FAMU DRS, 400 W. Orange Ave., around 3:45 p.m. to get her 6-year-old kindergartner. After waiting 15 minutes, her daughter had yet to appear.
Instead, she was told, her daughter was taken to the bus pick up area, and loaded onto a bus for Milestones Learning Academy, a nearby childcare center that Ford is also suing for negligence and wrongful imprisonment.
The complaint says after the child was allegedly put on the bus by a FAMU DRS staff member, “she was transported against her will to Milestones Learning Academy despite the fact that the Milestones employee operating the bus did not recognize the minor child or know her name.”
Another allegation includes that the student was not recognized or known by any of the staff at Milestones, but no one at the center attempted to contact FAMU DRS or law enforcement. The Tallahassee Democrat reached out to Milestones on Jan. 22 but has not heard back.
After asking FAMU DRS staff about her daughter’s whereabouts, Ford alleges staff did not know and did not place the school on lockdown or contact law enforcement. Ford said she called other family members and law enforcement herself.
A Tallahassee police officer was dispatched to the school at about 4:40 p.m., an hour after the school’s dismissal.
When the officer asked about the child’s whereabouts, the suit alleges no staff could provide any information. The suit also says the officer told the mother the incident was “not the first time a student at FAMU DRS went missing under the supervision of staff.”
Micheal Johnson, superintendent, FAMU Developmental Research School
After speaking with staff, the officer then made contact with FAMU DRS Superintendent Micheal Johnson, who reviewed surveillance footage showing staff taking the kindergartner to the bus for Milestones.
The officer contacted the driver of the Milestones bus and confirmed that the child was dropped off at the center. Ford and law enforcement drove to Milestones where they found the 6-year-old “sobbing, scared and distraught,” the suit says.
Ford and her daughter were reunited at Milestones at about 5:30 p.m., two hours after she says her daughter went missing.
The mother is being represented by Tallahassee attorney Matthew C. Williams.
Alaijah Brown covers children & families for the Tallahassee Democrat. She can be reached at ABrown1@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter/X: @AlaijahBrown3.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU sued after DRS staff allegedly put 6-year-old on wrong bus