DANVERS — A Great Oak School first-grader who's new to Danvers got off at the wrong bus stop yesterday but was home safe shortly after being reported missing, police and school officials said.
The report of a missing 6-year-old girl quickly mobilized police, who began searching for her along the bus route.
Yesterday was the first day of school in Danvers with an elementary early release day dismissal time of 1:15 p.m.
The girl, who is new in town and lives at the Avalon Bay apartment complex on Kirkbride Drive, got off at the wrong stop, according to police Capt. Edmund Plamowski.
"When she didn't get off the bus, the family called here and might have called the school, as well," Plamowski said. "There is more than one bus stop at the complex. She got off at the wrong stop."
Police would not disclose the identity of the family involved.
Kirkbride Drive is at the large Avalon Danvers apartment complex on the grounds of the former Danvers State Hospital. There are more than 450 units at the apartment complex.
Police Sgt. Paul Stone and Patrolmen Richard Barthelmess and Derek Colella checked every stop the bus made prior to the girl's scheduled stop.
Plamowski said the family found the girl and notified police.
"We went up and met with the family, and everything is fine," the captain said.
"There was confusion as the child got off," Danvers Superintendent Lisa Dana said. "Everything is fine. It shouldn't be a common occurrence, but occasionally there is confusion."
Dana and Plamowski said the school followed proper procedure after school got out by making sure the girl got on the bus she was supposed to get on.
The bus is operated by First Student Bus Company.
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