A school bus driver in New York City failed to deliver six nonverbal special education students to their intended school for nearly four and a half hours on the morning of December 16, 2025, according to an investigation released Friday. During the incident, one student remained seated in the bus, reportedly soaked in urine.

Eric Chery, the driver involved, reportedly traveled between incorrect schools and missed the scheduled morning drop-off window at PS 289 in Crown Heights. The Special Commissioner of Investigation for city schools, Anastasia Coleman, condemned the incident as highly disturbing, emphasizing the vulnerability of the children involved.

“It is highly disturbing that six nonverbal children were left on a school bus for hours while their whereabouts remained unknown to school officials,” Coleman said. “These particularly vulnerable students rely on the adults entrusted with their care.”

The investigation highlighted significant lapses in oversight and communication that allowed the students to be unaccounted for during the extended delay. Details about Chery’s employment status following the incident or whether any charges were filed have not been disclosed.