Hours after a special-needs student died in her wheelchair aboard an Ohio school bus, the superintendent told the school board that bus staff “did not strap her in appropriately, causing her death,” according to a newly released report.
Ngone Talla, a 7-year-old Cincinnati Public Schools student who was nonverbal and had developmental disabilities, was found unresponsive in her wheelchair by her distraught family after the bus arrived at her home on the afternoon of Sept. 16.
The Hamilton County Coroner’s Office classified the death as accidental. An autopsy determined that Ngone died from positional asphyxiation and cited a “delay in care.” Emails obtained by FOX19 NOW from the superintendent provide disturbing details about the incident.
“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.
First Student, the bus company, confirmed that its CEO spoke with the superintendent on the night of Ngone’s death but disputed the school official’s early assessment.
“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.
Ngone’s family said they became concerned after noticing that the school bus had remained parked outside their home for about 10 minutes, an unusual occurrence.
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When relatives went outside to investigate, they found the child unresponsive aboard the bus.
Ngone was taken to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The autopsy report said Ngone had been seated in her wheelchair and secured with a “five-point seatbelt” system. Such restraints generally include two shoulder straps, two lap or waist straps and a strap between the legs, according to the publication.
“During movement of the extremities, the buttocks slipped off the wheelchair seat with the torso turned to the right,” the report stated. “[The] right neck and chin [were] compressed by [the] seatbelt/restraint system.”
In a statement Friday, Cincinnati Public Schools said, “It is critically important that a thorough review take place so that we have a clear and accurate understanding of the facts and circumstances surrounding this incident.”
“We owe that to the family, our students, and the community. The Board will not rush to judgment or make determinations before that process is complete,” CPS told the local station.
The Post contacted First Student and Cincinnati Public Schools for comment.
