By Carol Anders Correspondent
PLYMOUTH — A 5-year-old kindergarten student from Washington Elementary School in Plymouth was missing several minutes Wednesday before a bus driver spotted him at the corner of Michigan and Jefferson Streets and returned him to Washington.

According to reports, the child moved from the car pick-up line at the school into a bus line where he was able to get on the bus that took him to the bus shuttle, located behind Plymouth High School.
At that point, he left the school grounds unnoticed and proceeded to walk the half-mile or so towards the downtown area.
The boy was supposed to be picked up at the school by a babysitter. When he couldn’t be found, Washington Principal Michele Riise immediately used two-way radios to broadcast a description of him.
A different bus driver, Judy Weston, spotted him after hearing his description.
The child’s father, Asher Budka, who was contacted by area media, was upset by the incident.
“He could have been picked up by some stranger and I would never see him again,” said Budka, “or he could have walked down right through the Michigan Street intersection and could have been hit by a car.”
Plymouth Superintendent Dan Tyree said, “It’s our responsibility to get kids where they need to be. We didn’t get that done.”
Tyree said they are not making any excuses and are implementing stricter procedures for pick-ups.
“We have parents who wait on Berkley Street for children to get off at the bus shuttle because they do not want to wait in lines at the different school buildings,” he said.
Tyree said they are issuing a letter to all parents explaining that the practice will no longer be allowed.
Tyree met with the transportation director, the assistant superintendent, the boy's teacher and also called the boy’s parents to apologize Thursday.