SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) – A Miami-Dade County school bus driver was arrested on a child neglect charge after authorities said she left a sleeping six-year-old boy alone on a bus, allowing him to wander through a Southwest Miami-Dade neighborhood.<\/p>\n
Patricia Barberena, 62, was arrested Tuesday after investigators said the child was left unsupervised for about 15 minutes before a passerby found him and contacted authorities.<\/p>\n
Investigators said Barberena picked up the child from day care and was supposed to drop him off at school.<\/p>\n
However, the boy fell asleep in his seat and did not get off the bus when it arrived at the school. <\/p>\n
Authorities said Barberena then drove the bus to her home, parked it and went inside without checking whether any students remained on board.<\/p>\n
The child later woke up, exited the bus and began walking through a neighborhood before being spotted by the passerby, authorities said.<\/p>\n
According to the affidavit, the child\u2019s school contacted Barberena after noticing he had not arrived. <\/p>\n
Authorities said she then left her residence and began searching for him.<\/p>\n
During a post-Miranda interview, Barberena admitted she did not inspect the bus to determine whether any students remained inside, investigators said.<\/p>\n
The six-year-old boy was reunited with his father.<\/p>\n
A judge found probable cause for Barberena\u2019s arrest and set her bond at $2,500 during a bond court hearing.<\/p>\n
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