BROOKHAVEN, Miss. (WJTV) – A family is suing the Brookhaven School District after they said a five-year-old was left along on a school bus for hours.

Attorney Gerard Mumford, who is representing Shameaka Washington, said they are seeking punitive damages against the school district.

Mumford said Germani Washington was left alone on the school bus for six hours until someone heard him screaming and crying in the bus barn. He said the bus driver failed to check the seats and was fired by the school district the following day.

Washington said she was hurt by the incident after she received a phone call on November 2.

“I was outraged. I was hurt. I was distraught as this as a mother, you never you see stuff like this happening, but you never imagine that it would be your child, you know,” she said.

“I have a five-year-old. Again, I couldn’t imagine my daughter to be on a bus to six hours screaming, calling for her mother. It’s not fair. It’s not right. If someone has to pay for it and any type of compensation for this case, it will heal the wounds. But this is to prevent other children like Germani from this happening here that sometimes the only message that can be sought out from an actor is through their pockets,” stated Mumford.

WJTV 12 News reached out to the Brookhaven School District, but they declined to comment on the incident.