A little boy from Omaha experienced a scary moment after a typical school day turned horrid due to the neglect of the adult in charge.
Seven-year-old Quinci Jordan was having a regular after-school day until it was time for his drop-off. The bus driver pulled up at a stop, and after the young boy descended, he had a crippling feeling of being lost.
Quinci was dropped off at the wrong location, despite letting the driver know it was not his destination. However, a quick-thinking act from the little boy saved the day and what could have escalated into a dangerous situation.
QUINCI ACTED FAST
A video posted on YouTube in May 2022 of how Quinci’s situation panned out showed the pre-teen on the front porch in a neighborhood he recognized. In the security footage, the young boy could be seen frantically pressing the bell.
He also spoke urgently, noting that he wanted to see Max’s mom. Max was his pal from that neighborhood, and he knew being able to see her would help fix the puzzle.
Even as he waited for Max’s mom, later identified as Madison Bilsteen, Quinci worried about his mom. He stated that he did not want her to be worried about him. Bilsteen recalled:
“He thought he was going to be lost forever, is what he kept saying.”
Bilsteen relayed that she had just returned from an outing and was in for two minutes before hearing her doorbell ring. She stated that it was rare for it to ring, but after she heard the sobbing, she rushed from the basement.
She described how sweaty the young boy was, having stayed out in the 98 degrees weather. She noted that he was disoriented and thought he would never see his family again.
BILSTEEN TO THE RESCUE
Bilsteen, a mom herself, could not imagine the horrifying outcomes that could have played out if Quinci did not know his way around the neighborhood. She told Inside Edition that the little boy had been hysterical.
In another part of the clip, Max’s mom ushered Quinci in, promising to call his mom. So far, the youngster is reunited with his family, and his mom feels indebted to Bilsteen for helping to save the day.
The mom-in-question, Makayla Walker, and her son recounted the incident in another part of the interview. Quinci recalled that the driver opened the door and asked him to “get out.”
Makayla, who did not hide her feelings, was outraged as she described her son. She said about him, as she expressed her shock at how he was treated:
“Quinci is probably one of the sweetest, most caring and loving kids, so to be treated like that by an adult just infuriated me.”.
Quinci’s mom further questioned what could have become of her child if things got out of hand. She recalled there being a busy intersection at the end of the road, noting that anything could have happened.
When asked if she felt like Quinci’s hero, Bilsteen stated that it was simply a situation of being at the “right place at the right time.” The clip closed with Makayla telling Bilsteen she owed her everything.
FURTHER DEVELOPMENT ON QUINCI’S ISSUE
It was later reported that it was a substitute bus driver, and the address in the entry still stated Quinci’s former home. His parents had recently moved to a new neighborhood.
As of this reporting, the substitute driver no longer works for the Omaha Public Schools (OPS). In her explanation, Makayla shared that the school authorities earlier alerted her that there were issues with Quinci’s school bus.
Makayla stated that the school would call her again to mention that the bus was on its way to drop the kids at their addresses. After some moments, Bilsteen’s call came through with the shocking news. The mom relayed:
“I could hear Quinci — he was hysterical.”
Makayla was immediately affected by the news noting how she became unsettled and started crying. Different thoughts ran through her mind ranging from the possibility of kidnap or an accident.
Bilsteen shared the same thoughts, noting that the what-ifs ran through her mind all through the night. She played out different scenarios in her head as she shared:
“I couldn’t sleep last night ’cause I just thought about the what-if reasons.”
Quinci’s mom made it known that the school’s superintendent reached out to her, sympathizing and apologizing. The official also promised to work on a better approach to the mode of transportation.
Makayla shared that she visited the student transportation office demanding an investigation because such incidents needed to be avoided in the future. She relayed that there should be a form of vetting before bus drivers were hired.
According to investigations, the bus had dropped Quinci at the address stated in the school’s files. The statement showed that the school transported over 18,000 students. Makayla later stated that she changed the address after they moved
