Suburban mother outraged after daycare bus driver forgets daughter

The incident unfolded Wednesday near 87th and Washtenaw, but the child was found wandering alone roughly two hours later in another suburb.

The 9-year-old girl walked more than four miles – telling FOX 32 Chicago that she knocked on several doors to look for help, approaching homes with Christmas decorations.

The shuttle bus service she hires through the New Knowledge Learning Center, located at 84th Place and Kedzie Avenue, hadn’t shown up.

“If they had to stop there for whatever reason, they had to stop there,” said Edwards.

At the same time, Eva was looking for help.

Instead of dropping Eva off at her after-school program, the shuttle bus driver – identified as 61-year-old Keitheia Adkins – felt ill and drove the van to her house, according to police.

“I was thinking that I was going to be on that bus all night, so that’s why I got out and started walking,” said Eva. 

At approximately 4:18 p.m., a second female adult exited the residence and opened the vehicle’s door, appearing to check the van.

Around 4:45 p.m., Evergreen Park police say a male subject approached an officer at 89th Street and California Avenue and reported the child missing from the 8700 block of South Washtenaw Avenue. 

As Edwards went to her child’s school, where the principal joined her frantic search, Eva knocked on an Oak Lawn woman’s door and explained the situation. 

“From the bottom of my heart, I’m definitely grateful and I’m grateful for the people that didn’t help her because there’s no telling what could have happened,” said Edwards. 

Adkins was charged with Endangering the Life of a Child, according to the Evergreen Park Police Department. 

“We are thankful that this precious young girl was unharmed in this unfortunate incident. Throughout our 17-year history we’ve never had any prior child endangerment issues. Our agency is dedicated to providing quality daycare services to our children and their families. The New Knowledge Learning Center is approaching this matter with full transparency and accountability. We have been in communication with the Department of Children and Family Services and are cooperating fully with its investigators.”