Overview
- Barbara Baker stopped her Route 12 bus in Tampa just after 7 a.m. on Aug. 31 after spotting a barefoot child in pajamas in the roadway.
- She carried the child onto the bus when he could not say where he lived and contacted HART operations to request police assistance.
- Tampa police canvassed nearby homes and located the boy’s mother in about 20 minutes, with the family reported to live roughly two to two-and-a-half blocks away.
- HART released onboard video and an interview this week, prompting widespread praise on social media and national coverage by Newsweek and Fox News.
- CEO Scott Drainville commended Baker’s attentiveness as reflecting training that stresses situational awareness for lost children and quick coordination with law enforcement.