A Cincinnati Public Schools email has revealed a seven-year-old disabled girl who died on a school bus was not properly strapped in her seat by the bus driver.
Ngone Talla, 7, died on September 16 after a seat belt wrapped around her neck and left her unresponsive while a bus driver drove her home from Roselawn Condon School in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Ngone was a nonverbal student with cerebral palsy and developmental disabilities. She also used a wheelchair.
According to a Hamilton County Coroner’s Office report, Talla suffered ‘positional asphyxiation’ while sitting in a ‘five point’ seat belt made to fit her wheelchair.
Although the coroner’s office ruled the manner of the death accidental, an email from Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) Superintendent Shauna Murphy revealed the monitor on the bus did not properly strap the child into her seat, WCPO reported.
‘I spoke with John Kenning from First Student. He shared the driver and the monitor on the bus did not strap her on appropriately, causing her death,’ Murphy wrote in a September 16 email, according to the outlet.
The outlet stated the autopsy report described Ngone moving her arms and legs in the wheelchair while on the bus due to her disability symptoms.
Ngone’s backside then slipped off the wheelchair seat, causing the seat belt to compress her right neck and chin.
Ngone Talla, 7, died on September 16 after a seatbelt wrapped around her neck and left her unresponsive while a bus driver drove her home from Roselawn Condon School in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Ngone was a nonverbal student with developmental disabilities, and she also used a wheelchair
The WCPO reported, although the coroner’s office ruled the manner of the death accidental, an email from CPS Superintendent Shauna Murphy revealed the bus monitor did not properly strap the child into her seat. Source: First Student Inc.
The report stated this compression led to rapid asphyxiation and loss of consciousness before she was found dead on the bus.
According to the CPS email, viewed by the outlet, a First Student representative saved the bus video file and shared the information with the Cincinnati Police Department.
‘All of us at First Student are deeply saddened by the death of a student on one of our buses. Our thoughts and prayers are with the student’s family, classmates, school community and all those impacted as they navigate this difficult time,’ First Student said in a statement.
At this time no criminal charges have been filed against the bus driver or the Roselawn Condon School.
The Daily Mail has reached out to CPS Superintendent Shauna Murphy and John Kenning, the Chief Executive Officer of First Student for comment.
In September, WCPO reported that the Talla family had originally been left in the dark about what happened to their daughter during the roughly 90-minute ride home from school.
Abdoula Talla, Ngone’s father, told the outlet she was happy and healthy when she left for school that day.
Her family said the bus arrived at their home around 5pm and sat outside for about 10 to 15 minutes before Ngone’s sister, Marema Talla, went outside.
Ngone was a student at Roselawn Condon Elementary School in Cincinnati, Ohio
The family told the outlet that the bus waited outside for 10-15 minutes before Marema Talla, Ngone’s sister, found her unresponsive
Abdoula described Ngone as his ‘baby’ and said he cared for her throughout her life. Her sister added that even though she could not walk or talk, she had a big personality
Marema told the outlet that she found Ngone motionless in her wheelchair and she was not breathing.
She added that Ngone’s lips were dry, cut and bleeding. Marema said the bus attendant told her something had come out of Ngone’s mouth.
The outlet reported Abdoula called 911 around 5.03pm, according to emergency dispatch recordings.
According to the autopsy report, there was a ‘delay in care prior to emergency services contact’ and Ngone was pronounced dead at the scene.
‘They should have never had to wait for the parents to call the ambulance because it should have been their responsibility,’ Marema told the outlet.
The Cincinnati Public School District said in a September statement that they were grieving the ‘loss of a student from Roselawn Condon School who died.’
‘Our hearts are with her family and everyone who knew and loved her. This is an unimaginable loss for them and a heartbreaking day for the Roselawn Condon community,’ the statement added.
Abdoula described Ngone as his ‘baby’ and said he cared for her throughout her life. Her sister added that even though she could not walk or talk, she had a big personality.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Cincinnati Police Department for comment.
