Children Found Living In Rotting School Bus


Two children have been discovered living in an abandoned school bus near Houston. The pair, aged 11 and 5, are now in the custody of Texas child welfare workers, while their parents serve prison sentences for embezzling money from Hurricane Ike victims in 2008.

It was a postal worker who found the two children, who investigators say have lived in the bus since the beginning of the year. The bus’ windows were found to be blocked, and the area surrounding the dilapidated vehicle was covered in trash. The bus had electricity, an air conditioning unit installed in one window, and bunk beds inside for the children.

The children are not enrolled at any school, though informed Texas Child Protective Services workers they were home-schooled. Neighbors say the kids could often be spotted running around at night. Nearby resident Gayla Payne told reporters:

“They always had dirty clothes on (and) no shoes, even in the winter.”

Payne added the 11-year-old girl revealed to her daughter that she bathes twice weekly.

Authorities say they found a woman on the property who they believe to be the children’s great-aunt. She told CPS she works 12-hour shifts from Monday to Friday, but stays home with the children at night and provides meals for them during the day.

Since the discovery, the incarcerated mother of the children has said the vehicle was in good condition when she and her husband last saw their kids. Speaking to the Houston Chronicle, Sherrie Shorten said the bus was only ever supposed to be a temporary solution, and insists they were building a house on the wooded lot the bus was found on:

“We moved from an apartment into the bus to conserve funds, but then we were arrested. But there was no smell when we lived there.”

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