Bus staff didn’t properly strap in Ohio special needs student, 7, ‘causing her death,’ emails reveal

Detailed summary

“I spoke with Mr. John Keening from First Student. He shared the driver and monitor on Ngone’s bus did not strap her on appropriately, causing her death,” Superintendent Shauna Murphy wrote

Hours after a special needs student died while sitting in her wheelchair aboard an Ohio school bus, the superintendent revealed bus staff “did not strap her in appropriately, causing her death,” according to a new report.

Cincinnati Public Schools student Ngone Talla, 7, who was nonverbal and had developmental disabilities, was found lifeless in her wheelchair by her distraught family after the school bus arrived at her home on the afternoon of Sept. 16.

While the Hamilton County Coroner’s office ruled the student’s death as “accidental” and an autopsy said she died from positional asphyxiation, noting a “delay in care,” shocking emails obtained by FOX19 NOW from the school’s superintendent reveal harrowing details about the tragedy.

“I spoke with Mr. John Keening from First Student. He shared the driver and monitor on Ngone’s bus did not strap her on appropriately, causing her death,” Superintendent Shauna Murphy wrote to the school board hours after Ngone died, the outlet reported.

The bus company, First Student, confirmed the conversation between their CEO and the superintendent took place on the night of Ngone’s death, but slammed the school official’s assessment of the matter.

“At that point, no investigation had taken place, and many facts were still unknown,” the company said in a statement to the outlet.

“The characterization of the conversation does not reflect the circumstances surrounding the incident or the findings subsequently outlined in the coroner’s report,” First Student added.

The tragedy unfolded after Ngone’s family said they noticed the bus sitting idle outside the home for 10 minutes, which was unusual.

After her family went outside to see what was happening, they discovered the lifeless youngster aboard the bus.

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