Call of Duty: METRO Bus Operator and MPD Help Lost Girl Find Her Way Home

Thanks to the dedication and quick thinking of a METRO bus operator and the METRO Police Department (MPD), a lost little girl was safely reunited with her family.

On a busy weekday morning, MPD officers were dispatched to the Wheeler Transit Center after being notified a METRO bus operator had found a lost and distressed young girl on the 65 Bissonnet route. MPD Day Rail Officer Kendra Paris quickly responded to the call.

Paris said the child appeared terrified, and a language barrier made it challenging to get information from her. They comforted the girl and took great care to ensure she felt safe and protected. They gave her snacks and drinks while they reviewed camera footage from the bus and were able to identify the elementary school she attends.

"We saw that she initially boarded with another group of older children who were also on their way to school," noted Paris. "As the students boarded, they went to sit toward the back while the little girl remained at the front. When they got off to go to class, she didn’t.”

Officer Paris personally escorted the girl to her school, where she was reunited with family. Paris said she learned from school officials that the child was six years old, and it was only her second day of school.

"I just hope that her first impression of police officers and METRO was positive," said Paris. "All these great people surrounded her and were intent on reuniting her with her family."

For Paris, the heartwarming tale is a testament to the caring nature of the METRO staff and MPD officers who go above and beyond daily.

Watch Video:  A lost girl is safely reunited with her family.