Cincinnati, Ohio — A 7-year-old special needs girl died after she was found unresponsive in her wheelchair aboard a school bus, prompting a police investigation and leaving her family searching for answers.
Ngone Talla, a student at Roselawn Condon School, was found lifeless by her family Wednesday afternoon after the school bus arrived outside her home. Her relatives told local media that the bus remained parked outside for about 10 minutes, which they said was unusual because the back doors normally open to allow Ngone and her wheelchair to exit.
Instead, her family was eventually allowed onto the bus, where they discovered the young girl unresponsive.
Family Raises Questions About What Happened
Ngone’s family said they became concerned when the bus remained outside their home without the usual process of unloading her wheelchair. Her 12-year-old sister, Marema Talla, described the moment she entered the bus and saw Ngone.
“We went on the bus, and I see my sister unresponsive and lifeless. So, I’m there, I’m mad. I’m yelling in the bus. I’m like, OK, how did this happen?”
Ngone was taken to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Her father, Abdoul Talla, said he received a call that his daughter was not breathing or moving and immediately rushed to the scene.
“The bus driver came outside and he told them like, ‘Oh, come look.’ And they went inside the bus, and they see she was not breathing, she was not moving. And after that, that’s why they call me, and I say call 911, and I call 911, me myself,”
Abdoul said he arrived and saw his daughter inside the bus.
“And I drive up here and I see my daughter inside the bus and I was like ‘it’s over,’”
Seatbelt Theory Has Not Been Confirmed
Questions have emerged about whether a seatbelt may have been involved in Ngone’s death.
Sources told local media that the girl may have become stuck in a seatbelt while sitting in her wheelchair. However, the company operating the bus said there is currently no indication that the seatbelt caused her death.
First Student, which operated the bus, said it was cooperating with authorities and the school district.
“We are deeply saddened by the death of a student in Cincinnati and are fully cooperating with local authorities and the school district on conducting a thorough investigation. Out of respect for everyone involved and because this is an active investigation, we cannot provide additional details at this time. Our thoughts and prayers are with the student’s family at this time,”
The company has not indicated that the seatbelt was responsible for the girl’s death.
Coroner Reports No Signs of Trauma
The Hamilton County Coroner’s Office said Ngone did not suffer traumatic injuries or show signs of harm before her death. According to the coroner’s office:
“She became unresponsive in her wheelchair on the bus, but she has extensive medical history including cerebral palsy,”
The statement provides no determination about what caused the girl’s death. That question remains part of the ongoing investigation.
Multiple agencies, including the Cincinnati Police Department, are now working to determine what happened during the school bus ride and after the vehicle arrived at Ngone’s home.
School District Offers Support to Community
Cincinnati Public Schools said its Crisis Response Unit is supporting students and staff following what the district described as a heartbreaking incident.
The district said:
“Our hearts are with her family and everyone who knew and loved her. This is an unimaginable loss for them and a heartbreaking time for the entire CPS community, and especially those at her school,”
Ngone’s death has left her family particularly concerned about the supervision provided during the bus ride.
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Cincinnati Public Schools confirmed that a monitor from First Student was aboard the bus, in addition to the driver.
Family Wants Investigation to Provide Answers
Ngone’s family has questioned whether the driver and bus monitor were paying close enough attention to her while she was aboard the vehicle.
Abdoul said the adults responsible for supervising the children should have been watching them carefully.
“The driver and a second person, they’re supposed to just watch carefully, the kids, because you cannot have these kids in this bus and you’re not watching them,”
He also pointed to the hot weather that day and said he is waiting for investigators to determine exactly what happened.
“And it was really hot yesterday, and I don’t know what’s going on. I’m waiting for the investigation to let us know what’s happened.”
For now, the circumstances surrounding Ngone Talla’s death remain under investigation. Authorities have not publicly established a cause of death, and the family’s questions about the school bus, supervision and what happened before she was discovered remain unanswered.
What questions do you think investigators should focus on as they work to determine what happened to Ngone? Share your thoughts and condolences for her family in the comments.
