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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.
Ngone was then rushed to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, where she was tragically pronounced dead.
An autopsy report noted that Ngone was sitting in her wheelchair restrained by a “five-point seatbelt” system, which typically consists of two shoulder straps, two lap or waist straps and one strap between the legs, the publication reported.
“During movement of the extremities, the buttocks slipped off the wheelchair seat with the torso turned to the right,” the report said. “[The] right neck and chin [was] compressed by [the] seatbelt/restraint system.”
In a statement Friday, Cincinnati Public Schools said in part, “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 reached out to First Student and Cincinnati Public Schools for comment.
