Suburban mother outraged after daycare bus driver forgets daughter

EVERGREEN PARK, Ill. - A daycare shuttle service driver has been charged after forgetting a child in her vehicle in Evergreen Park, according to police.

The incident unfolded Wednesday near 87th and Washtenaw, but the child was found wandering alone roughly two hours later in another suburb.

The 9-year-old girl walked more than four miles – telling FOX 32 Chicago that she knocked on several doors to look for help, approaching homes with Christmas decorations.

"I just felt like I was dying slowly, like my battery was draining," said Arturia Edwards, the child’s mom. "Every minute that passed by, I felt lifeless."

It's a parent's worst nightmare. Edwards arrived to her daughter’s after-school program Wednesday, only to learn she wasn't there.

The shuttle bus service she hires through the New Knowledge Learning Center, located at 84th Place and Kedzie Avenue, hadn't shown up.

Edwards rushed to the daycare, but says her daughter, Eva, wasn't there either.

"If they had to stop there for whatever reason, they had to stop there," said Edwards.

When Edwards says she couldn't get a straight answer from employees, she called the police.

At the same time, Eva was looking for help.

"It was cold and I couldn’t move my hands," said Eva.

Instead of dropping Eva off at her after-school program, the shuttle bus driver – identified as 61-year-old Keitheia Adkins – felt ill and drove the van to her house, according to police.

At about 2:57 p.m., Adkins entered her residence in the 8700 block of South Washtenaw, leaving the 3rd grade student in her vehicle alone.

"I was thinking that I was going to be on that bus all night, so that’s why I got out and started walking," said Eva. 

At about 3:15 p.m., police said Adkins left her home and didn’t return for over an hour. 

At approximately 4:18 p.m., a second female adult exited the residence and opened the vehicle’s door, appearing to check the van.

Adkins then arrived home just before 4:30 p.m., when police said she appeared to look for the child. 

Around 4:45 p.m., Evergreen Park police say a male subject approached an officer at 89th Street and California Avenue and reported the child missing from the 8700 block of South Washtenaw Avenue. 

"She literally walked for two hours looking for help and nobody helped her," said Edwards. 

As Edwards went to her child's school, where the principal joined her frantic search, Eva knocked on an Oak Lawn woman's door and explained the situation. 

Oak Lawn police responded to the 8800 block of South 55th Court and found the missing child. She was unharmed and reunited with her parents.

"From the bottom of my heart, I’m definitely grateful and I’m grateful for the people that didn’t help her because there’s no telling what could have happened," said Edwards. 

Edwards says she will no longer be using the daycare’s services.

Adkins was charged with Endangering the Life of a Child, according to the Evergreen Park Police Department. 

The New Knowledge Learning Center, which is owned and operated by Adkins – according to her LinkedIn account – released the following statement to FOX 32 Chicago:

"We are thankful that this precious young girl was unharmed in this unfortunate incident. Throughout our 17-year history we’ve never had any prior child endangerment issues. Our agency is dedicated to providing quality daycare services to our children and their families. The New Knowledge Learning Center is approaching this matter with full transparency and accountability. We have been in communication with the Department of Children and Family Services and are cooperating fully with its investigators."