08-03-2025
Child found wandering Fayette County daycare parking lot after being left asleep on bus
A daycare in Tyrone is at the center of a child abuse investigation after parents said La Petite Academy staff left their sleeping son on a bus and did not notice until another parent found him during pickup.
'He is six years old,' said Markisha Nelson. 'He woke up so frantic, so frantic and so scared.'
She and her husband, Tierney Nelson, told Channel 2′s Courtney Francisco their son took a nap on the bus to daycare Thursday afternoon and woke up alone.
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They said he tried to open the emergency hatch in the back but couldn't work it. He told his parents he eventually figured out how to get through the side door.
'Aiden was out there, we're guestimating, maybe 30 to 45 minutes,' said Tierney Nelson. 'Distraught, crying, upset, emotional. He even made the comment, 'I thought I was going to die.''
They said another parent found their son in the parking lot and staff never called to tell them.
'We should have been the first people they call to give us the option to decide whether or not we wanted to keep our son in their care,' said Markisha Nelson.
The Nelsons said La Petite has four safety measures in place to ensure no children are left on buses: two bus sweeps, a roll call and an alarm that detects movement inside.
'All failed,' said Tierney Nelson.
A statement from La Petite Academy headquarters said in part, 'We have a number of procedures in place to ensure the safe transportation of our children and do not tolerate any deviation from these protocols. The staff involved has been placed on administrative leave while we work with our licensing partners to review the matter.'
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One parent picking up their child on Friday said she was unaware of the investigation into the location.
'I am very surprised,' said Sonya Cook. 'I haven't really had any safety issues.'
The Nelsons hope those parents take notice and teach their children how to respond if adults fail.
'We could have lost our son,' said Tierney Nelson. 'This could have been very fatal, and this would have devasted our family.'
The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning lists all complaints and violations against childcare centers.
In 2024, the state sent a repeat violation enforcement fine letter to the property, after agents said staff left children unsupervised.
In one case, a parent said they found a child alone in a classroom. The agency had 10 days to appeal the fine. The website does not list whether that happened.
To see the list, click here.
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