Alberta RCMP investigating after child found wandering on highway near St. Paul
Alberta RCMP say they are investigating after a child was found wandering on a highway near a town northeast of Edmonton earlier this week.
Police in St. Paul say in a news release that they received a report about the child at about 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.
They say a concerned motorist found the child on Highway 881 near Township Road 582 and brought the child to the RCMP detachment.
Police say they have started an investigation and are looking for dashcam footage from the area on Tuesday morning.
Earlier this week, St. Paul Education issued a statement on its website saying it was investigating after kindergarten student remained on a bus after it was returned to the driver's yard following morning drop off.
They say the child left the bus and found their way to a road in a rural area, where a concerned citizen intervened and took the child to the RCMP.
“Drivers are trained to do a mandatory walk through of their bus to ensure it is empty before leaving it,” said the statement from board chairwoman Heather Starosielski and Glen Brodziak, superintendent of schools. “Our initial review indicates this was not done.”
They said the driver has been removed from his duties pending an investigation.
The statement said schools also typically call home to confirm any student absences.
“Our normal procedure is for schools to start to make in-person phone calls at 8:45 a.m. each day beginning with the youngest children first,” it said. “The delay in noting the absence was in part due to the large number of absences that day in the school as a result of several buses not running due to varying road conditions.”
The statement said the school division is reviewing its transportation practices as well as its student absence reporting process.
“We will also fully co-operate should there be an RCMP investigation,” it added.
They said they are thankful for the safe return of the child and the quick response from the concerned citizen.
Environment Canada shows the temperatures in the area hovered around -24 C on Tuesday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 21, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
New Norad commander calls Canada's defence policy update 'very encouraging'
American troops will be spending more time training in the Far North, the new commander of Norad says, a strategy that fits 'hand-in-glove' with Canada's renewed focus on Arctic defence.
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.