Girl, 4, Riding Bus Alone At 3 In The Morning Looking For A Slushie Shocks Passengers
A 4-year-old riding a bus alone, at three in the morning, looking for her favorite slushie, gave the driver and passengers on board the surprise of their lives.
The little girl was alone when she hopped on the bus on Sunday, that was the most shocking thing of all for the driver and passengers on the city bus, according to transportation officials. Surveillance footage reveals the tiny girl as she rides the bus, dressed all in purple while passengers surprisingly look at her.
According to MSN, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority spokeswoman Kristin Geiger said the girl didn’t look in any distress and happily sat in one the bus’ seats. She then told passengers she wanted to get a slushie from the nearby convenience store.
Geiger says that immediately after noticing the little girl riding the bus unaccompanied, the driver called the control center and waited for police to arrive. The child was then taken to the nearest hospital to be examined and was found to be unharmed. Her parents were waiting for her there.
The Transportation Authority spokeswoman praised bus driver Harlan Jenifer and described him as “an exemplary employee.” Greiger said Jenifer was “shocked” to see the little girl riding the bus alone.
“All I want is a Slushie.” the girl swung her legs as she chanted, Jenifer said, according to NBC15.
If the passengers were shocked to see a little girl riding the bus at that time of the day all on her own, her parents were as well. They had no idea their daughter had woken in the middle of the night and sneaked out of the house unnoticed in the middle of a rain storm.
“Thank God for the bus driver stopping,” relieved father Timothy Ridgeway said.
“I will take you to buy a slushie,” the mother, Jaclyn Mager, while her daughter asked once again for her favorite drink during an interview with the local television station. “But… promise me next time you’ll wait for me, okay?”
Despite the fact that the parents are responsible for the little girl riding the bus alone at the unseemly hour, police say they will not press charges, but the family probably got a stern warning. This is one lucky child, as anyone can imagine how dangerous it is for a four-year-old to walk the streets of a big city in the middle of the night alone.
[Image via SEPTA]