Cordova, Tennessee — A 6-year-old girl with nonverbal autism died after she was allegedly left inside a hot daycare bus, prompting a police investigation into what happened at the Tennessee childcare center.
Winter Jones was found Thursday inside a bus associated with Kid University daycare center in Cordova, according to local reports.
Memphis Police Department officers responded to the daycare at approximately 3:23 p.m. after receiving a report that a child needed medical assistance.
Winter was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Family Says Winter Could Not Advocate for Herself
Winter’s uncle, Christopher Jones, told local media that the girl had nonverbal autism and was unable to communicate verbally.
He emphasized that Winter “couldn’t advocate for herself”, making it especially important for adults responsible for her care to ensure she was safely accounted for.
According to her uncle, Winter normally rode a bus between Kid University and Macon-Hall Elementary School. She would travel to school in the morning and return to the daycare by bus after the school day ended.
But Thursday’s routine apparently went tragically wrong.
“The ball was dropped and she never even made it into the school,” Christopher Jones said.
Family Says No One Realized She Was Still on Bus
Jones said Winter was apparently not discovered until workers were preparing to use the bus again to pick up students from school.
“No one knew that she was still on the bus until they got back on the bus and got ready to go and pick up the students from school,” he said.
The girl’s family said the circumstances are especially painful because Winter could not simply call out for help.
Jones explained that she could not open her mouth and say, “Hey, I’m still on the bus,” or otherwise alert people that she had been left behind.
Scorching Heat Made Conditions Dangerous
The tragedy occurred during extremely hot weather in the Memphis area.
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The air temperature reportedly reached 97 degrees Fahrenheit on Thursday. With the bus windows and doors closed, the temperature inside could have risen dramatically beyond the outdoor temperature.
Winter’s father, Bryan Jones, told local media that his daughter’s internal temperature was 109 degrees when she was found.
The extreme heat has become a central concern as investigators work to determine exactly how long Winter remained inside the vehicle and what happened before emergency crews arrived.
Bus Driver Was Reportedly Found Crying
A nearby worker, Shabnam Manhas, told local media that she heard someone screaming at the daycare and went to investigate. Manhas said she saw a woman on the ground crying heavily and struggling to speak.
According to the report, the woman was the bus driver connected to the vehicle where Winter was found. The driver has not been publicly identified.
The emotional scene unfolded as emergency personnel responded to the daycare and attempted to help the child.
Police Investigation Remains Ongoing
Memphis police are continuing to investigate Winter’s death.
No arrests have been made in connection with the case at this time, and authorities have not announced criminal charges against the bus driver or daycare employees.
The investigation is expected to examine the daycare’s transportation procedures, student check-in and check-out practices, bus inspection protocols and the sequence of events that led to Winter being left inside the vehicle.
For Winter’s family, however, the investigation comes after an unimaginable loss.
Her uncle said her inability to communicate made it even more important that adults carefully verify every child had safely left the bus.
As authorities work to determine what happened, Winter’s death has also renewed concerns about the dangers of leaving children unattended in vehicles during extreme heat.
What do you think childcare centers should do to make sure no child is ever accidentally left behind on a bus? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
