A 7-year-old girl with cerebral palsy died Wednesday afternoon after being found unresponsive in her wheelchair aboard a Cincinnati Public Schools bus, prompting an investigation by multiple agencies including the Cincinnati Police Department.
Ngone Talla, a student at Roselawn Condon School, was discovered lifeless by her family after the bus sat idle outside her home for about 10 minutes — longer than usual, since the back doors typically open right away to let her wheelchair out, relatives told WLWT5.
When the family went outside to check, they were let onto the bus and found her unresponsive. Her 12-year-old sister, Marema Talla, described the moment to WLWT5.
“We went on the bus, and I see my sister unresponsive and lifeless. So, I’m there, I’m mad. I’m yelling in the bus. I’m like, OK, how did this happen?” Marema Talla said.
Her father, Abdoul Talla, said he received a call that afternoon saying his daughter was not breathing or moving and rushed to the scene.
“The bus driver came outside and he told them like, ‘Oh, come look.’ And they went inside the bus, and they see she was not breathing, she was not moving. And after that, that’s why they call me, and I say call 911, and I call 911, me myself,” Abdoul Talla said. “And I drive up here and I see my daughter inside the bus and I was like ‘it’s over.'”
Ngone was taken to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Local outlet WXIX reported that sources indicated she may have become caught in a seatbelt before her death.
The Hamilton County Coroner’s office said Talla showed no traumatic injuries or signs of harm before she died.
“She became unresponsive in her wheelchair on the bus, but she has extensive medical history including cerebral palsy,” the coroner’s office said in a statement.
Cincinnati Public Schools confirmed that a monitor from First Student, the company that operates the bus, was aboard along with the driver. The Talla family has criticized both for not watching the students more closely.
“The driver and a second person, they’re supposed to just watch carefully, the kids, because you cannot have these kids in this bus and you’re not watching them,” Abdoul Talla said. “And it was really hot yesterday, and I don’t know what’s going on. I’m waiting for the investigation to let us know what’s happened.”
Cincinnati Public Schools said its Crisis Response Unit is supporting students and staff at Roselawn Condon following what it called a “heartbreaking day.”
“Our hearts are with her family and everyone who knew and loved her. This is an unimaginable loss for them and a heartbreaking day for the Roselawn Condon community,” the district said.
Cincinnati Public Schools, the Cincinnati Police Department and the Hamilton County Coroner’s office have not responded to requests for comment on the ongoing investigation.
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