Mother of boy injured by bus sues his school

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Springfield Public School District is being sued by a woman whose 6-year-old son was injured when he fell under a bus.

Shane Carlson, a first-grader at Westport Elementary School, was on his way home from class on Jan. 16 when he stepped off the bus and fell backward, landing under the vehicle, said attorney Joshua Roberts, who represents the boy's mother, Melisa Gray.

The boy's right leg was shattered by the back wheels of the bus as driver Buddy Lee Janes drove away, Roberts said.

"Shane was very traumatized by the incident, as you might expect," Roberts said. "He's not been able to attend school. The possibility exists that he may never be able to walk without a limp. Hopefully that's not the case, but it's possible."

The boy needs additional surgery and his recovery remains uncertain, Roberts said.

The lawsuit, filed in Greene County, claims the district and Janes were negligent when Janes began to drive away without checking to making sure all the students who got off the bus were safe.

The lawsuit does not ask for a specific dollar amount.

Janes declined to discuss the lawsuit.

Ransom Ellis III, attorney for the school district, said the claim will be handled by the district's insurance company.

The district wants "to make sure that every kid is taken care of in an appropriate and safe manner and that any accident involving children is something that is of a concern to them," Ellis said. "They investigate the matter and make sure if remedial measures need to be taken, they are taken."