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Leander ISD parent reacts after school bus crash
A Leander ISD mother is speaking out after the crash on Wednesday afternoon. She said her son was supposed to be on that very bus. FOX 7 Austin's Katie Pratt got an exclusive interview
LEANDER, Texas - A Leander ISD mother spoke out after a school bus crash on Wednesday afternoon.
According to parents, the school district didn't send anything out about the crash until nearly 8 p.m. That is roughly five hours after the crash happened.
What happened?
The crash was reported at Nameless Road at Palomino Ranch Drive around 3:15 p.m. on Wednesday, August 13.
42 children and an adult bus driver were on the bus, with nine kids and the driver taken to the hospital.
Two children were airlifted, according to reporting by FOX 7 Austin's Rudy Koski.
LIVE UPDATES: Leander ISD school bus rollover crash; 10 people hospitalized
A Leander ISD school bus was involved in a crash on Wednesday afternoon. Ten people, kids and the bus driver, have been hospitalized.
Leander ISD parent speaks out
Local perspective:
Lisa Arbini said her child was supposed to ride the same school bus that ended up in a rollover crash.
"He was on the bus in the morning, and then that was his bus to get home," said Lisa Arbini.
The day was already off to an emotional start, with her son Liam starting his first day of middle school.
"Just hearing that his bus crashed, I didn't know when the crash was. Was it this morning? Was it later today? Like even to this moment, I haven't heard from the school," said Arbini.
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Leander ISD bus crash: Over 40 children on board
Officials said several children were injured after a Leander ISD school bus crash on Wednesday afternoon.
Officials said the Leander ISD bus was dropping off students from Baghdad Elementary School when it went around one of the many tight curves on the windy Nameless Road near Palamino Ranch Drive in Northwest Travis County.
It ultimately crashed on the side of the road. Leander Middle School was next on its route, but the bus never arrived.
"They've been out of school for about two hours and still, nothing, nothing," said Arbini. "Nothing about, 'hey, come pick up your son;' nothing about, 'Hey, this is what happened.'"
Fortunately, another parent was able to pick up Liam from school, but Arbini said she still feels left in the dark after discovering the incident through a Facebook news post.
"I panicked because when I went to try and call my son, his phone was off," said Arbini. "I tried to track his location. Once they make him turn his phone off, I lost the location. I can't see anywhere recent."
It is the first school year with a new state law in effect that bans cellphones in the classroom.
"It's so unsettling to think you can't talk to your kids or have a way to reach them if something crazy were to happen," said Arbini.
The district requires all devices to be powered off from the first bell to the last bell.
FOX 7 Austin reached out to Leander ISD for comment, but has not heard back.
Parents received an email from the district, informing them of the crash at 7:55 p.m., which is roughly five hours after it happened.
The Source: Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin's Katie Pratt and previous coverage