A 15-year-old autistic student was hospitalized for severe dehydration after being exposed to extreme heat on a school bus in Chula Vista, California.
Temperatures in the city reached 97 degrees Fahrenheit. The teen's mother, Marisol Wojciechowski, reported that her son, Gabriel, who attends Hilltop High School, was repeatedly left on a bus that lacked air conditioning. Gabriel is unable to communicate when he is feeling too hot due to his autism.
According to Wojciechowski, Gabriel is dismissed from school about 30 minutes earlier than other students because of his special needs. He then has to wait on the bus for other students to board before it departs. During a September heatwave, Gabriel began exhibiting symptoms including nosebleeds and severe headaches. He also experienced lightheadedness after getting off the bus.
Wojciechowski took her son to the emergency room after his symptoms persisted. He was admitted and received IV fluids to combat the severe dehydration.
At one point, Wojciechowski intervened directly, getting on the bus to retrieve her son after being told by the driver that he could not leave the bus once he was seated. She told NBC San Diego that the bus driver indicated it was normal for students to remain on the bus in high temperatures.
Wojciechowski is now calling on the Sweetwater Union High School District to implement additional safety measures to prevent similar incidents. She expressed concern that leaving students on the bus, even for short periods, is unsafe during hot weather.
The California Post reached out to the superintendent of the Sweetwater Union High School District for comment but had not received a response.
