She said a kind stranger was able to reunite them, but she wants accountability from the district.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Charlotte mother is demanding accountability from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools after her nonverbal son with autism was placed on the wrong school bus and dropped off miles from his designated stop.
WCNC Charlotte spoke exclusively with Yvette Cain, who is Karter Cain’s mother. We also spoke with Chanelle Shepherd, the good Samaritan who made sure the boy got home safely.
The district confirmed a South Pine Academy student was put on the wrong bus and dropped off at the wrong location. This week, Cain met Shepherd, the woman she’s now calling her son’s guardian angel.
“That’s my biggest fear, my son running into the wrong person. But yesterday, my son ran into the right person. And I want to thank you,” Cain said to Shepherd on Thursday.
It was a heartfelt reunion between Cain and Shepherd, the woman Cain credits for protecting her son after a frightening experience Thursday afternoon.
“Overall, transportation and the school both failed my son,” said Cain.
According to CMS, 8-year-old Karter was mistakenly placed on the wrong bus. He ended up at the wrong stop, miles away from home.
“If you didn’t know where this child was supposed to be, you’re supposed to contact transportation, take them back to the school,” Cain explained.
That’s where Chanelle Shepherd comes in. She noticed something was off when Karter followed her and her children home after they got off at a stop near Forest Point Boulevard, about 10 minutes away from where Karter should have been dropped off.
“He just got off the bus first and stood there like he was waiting. Then my daughters got off, we started walking, and he was walking alongside me. He was even in the street, so I told him to come over. He did and kept walking with us,” said Shepherd.
Shepherd said Karter followed them all the way up to her apartment complex and even tried to walk inside.
“I asked the office lady if she recognized him. She didn’t. We checked his backpack and saw his name was Karter. She searched for anyone with that name. Nothing came up,” Shepherd explained.
Shepherd said she called South Pine Academy five times. She said no one picked up. She then contacted the district’s transportation department and eventually reached someone. She reached someone from the school afterwards.
“When I finally got someone, I said, ‘I don’t want to label this kid, but I believe he’s autistic, and I believe the school put him on the wrong bus,” Shepherd recalled
Shortly after, Karter was safely reunited with his mom, but Yvette Cain said this could’ve ended much differently.
“Thank you so much. You’re heaven-sent,” she said to Shepherd. “I know my son followed you because you have a good spirit. He doesn’t go to anyone, but he saw you, and he felt safe.”
Shepherd says what’s most troubling is how hard it was to reach anyone from the school. Cain hopes this is a wake-up call for CMS so that no other child ends up in the same situation.
Contact Siobhan Riley at [email protected] and follow her on Facebook and X.
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