September 3, 2026 – Kewaskum, Wi – Just two days into the new school year and the Kewaskum School District has issued a statement after a child was found left “unattended on a bus.”
Dear Kewaskum School District Families,
We are writing to inform you of a transportation incident that occurred last evening involving one of our elementary students.
Following the completion of a bus route, a 4-year-old student was left unattended on a school bus. Once the situation was identified, law enforcement was contacted and responded.
The student was located at the bus terminal and reunited with their family. The student was not injured, and it was determined that medical attention was not necessary. Law enforcement is still investigating the incident.
The safety of our students is our highest priority, and we take incidents such as this very seriously.
Johnson Bus has established policies and procedures that require buses to be checked at the completion of routes to ensure that no students remain on board.
We are working closely with Johnson Bus to review what occurred and to reinforce the importance of consistently following these procedures.
As an additional safety measure, Johnson Bus will be retraining its staff on student safety protocols and end-of-route bus inspection procedures, and they will be doing a thorough check of all safety equipment.
We understand that an incident like this may be concerning to families. The District will continue working with Johnson Bus to ensure appropriate procedures are followed, and that student safety remains at the forefront of transportation operations.
We want to thank our law enforcement partners for their quick response. Thank you for your continued trust and partnership.
Dr. Mark Bazata
District Administrator
Kewaskum School District
Calls have been placed to the district regarding a timeline on when the child was first reported missing and when the child was found on the bus.
Initially on Tuesday, September 2, 2026, there was a reported incident regarding a child who could not be located after school.
Neighbors confirm there was law enforcement including Kewaskum Police, State Patrol, and the Washington County Sheriff on scene Tuesday afternoon and into the evening at the Johnson Bus depot, 3618 Wi-28, in Kewaskum.
Washington County Sheriff Martin Schulteis said a statement will be issued later today. The Sheriff confirmed he is working with the school district.
Calls have been placed to the school district. A response will be posted when details are available.
The manager at Johnson Bus declined comment.
This is a working story, and more information will be posted when details are available.