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Beverly elementary student found asleep on bus after missing dropoff at school

BEVERLY, Mass. — An elementary school student fell asleep on a bus ride and was not dropped off at school Monday, according the Beverly Schools superintendent.

The elementary student was never left on the bus unattended, superintendent Steven Hiersche added. The student fell asleep and didn’t get off the bus when the child was supposed to.

Six-year-old Edward White said he didn't realize his bus had arrived at North Beverly Elementary School Monday morning.

"I was sleeping on the bus..." he explained to FOX25.

His sister even got off the bus without him.

"Clearly they're not checking the bus and they're not counting the children," his mom, Jennifer White, said. "That makes me concerned for the safety of not only them, but all the other kids on the bus."

Jennifer White said fortunately, someone was checking on Edward.

"He wasn't there...I thought that he disappeared," Cass White explained.

She was the first to realize Edward wasn't at school. They're both in the same class for students with special needs.

According to Hiersche, it was only about 15 minutes before the driver was notified and told to return the child to the school.

“We take the safety of our students very seriously and will be taking the appropriate action to ensure this does not happen again,” Hiersche said.

But Jennifer White can't stop worrying.

"Just a lot of 'what ifs. What if Cassandra didn't report it? What if the weather was different?" White said.