A stranger came to the rescue of a Richmond County pupil who was left on a bus earlier this week, Public Information Director Louis Svehla said Thursday.

The 9-year-old Glenn Hills Elementary third-grader fell asleep in the back of the bus on Tuesday, Mr. Svehla said. The bus driver didn’t see the child on the bus when she returned home.

When the child awoke, he wasn’t sure where he was, got off the bus and wandered the neighborhood, the school spokesman said. A stranger happening by noticed the boy, asked where he needed to be and offered him a ride to school.

Class starts at 8:30 a.m. The child arrived at 11 a.m.

Mr. Svehla did not identify the bus driver, the child or the stranger.

Mr. Svehla said he did not know how long the child was asleep or how long he walked the streets of the neighborhood.

Making the situation more difficult, Mr. Svehla said, is that the child is an English as a Second Language pupil.

School board policy requires drivers check buses before disembarking, Mr. Svehla said, and an internal investigation is under way on why the child was missed.

Failure to follow board policy could be a fireable offense, he said.

The driver of more than 10 years remains on the job while she is being investigated.

Reach Greg Gelpi at (706) 828-3851 or greg.gelpi@augustachronicle.com