An autistic teenager was taken to the hospital with severe dehydration after enduring sweltering conditions on a California school bus.
Temperatures in Chula Vista climbed to a punishing 97 degrees.
The teen’s mother said her son, a student at Hilltop High School in San Diego County, was repeatedly left waiting on a bus without air conditioning.
Marisol Wojciechowski said her freshman son, Gabriel, is dismissed about 30 minutes before other students because of his special needs. He must then remain on the bus in the intense heat until the other students join him.
Because of his autism, Wojciechowski said Gabriel cannot communicate when he is becoming dangerously overheated.
She first realized something was wrong in early September, during a heat wave, when Gabriel began showing serious symptoms.
“He had nosebleeds, really bad headaches and he didn’t want to do nothing. And then when he would get off the bus, he was lightheaded and I was like, ‘are you okay?’” Wojciechowski told NBC San Diego. “Right away I would put ice pack on him on his neck and gave him water.”
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After the symptoms continued, Wojciechowski took Gabriel to an emergency room for treatment.
“He was very dehydrated. They had to keep him there to give him IV fluids,” she told NBC San Diego. Wojciechowski also experienced the oppressive conditions firsthand while riding the bus.
“The bus driver was telling me that once he’s released to him, he couldn’t get off the bus. And I was like, ‘no.’ I got on the bus and said ‘Gabriel, go get in the car. Sit in the car. There’s air conditioning and I’ll be right there,’” Wojciechowski told NBC San Diego.
According to Wojciechowski, the driver told her that having students remain on the bus in such high temperatures was normal.
She is now urging the school district to introduce stronger safety measures to ensure other students do not face similar conditions.
“I want them to put the kids first. Leaving them on the bus is not safe, not even for five minutes during the heat,” Wojciechowski told NBC San Diego.
The California Post contacted the superintendent of the Sweetwater Union High School District for comment but had not received a response.
