7-year-old girl with autism left behind on bus on way to camp

NEW YORK -- Alicia Firth Mantock says she thought she was going to black out when she found out her 7-year-old daughter, Shanicia was missing.

"I started crying, I told my Mom and I told her father that I couldn't find my child," said Alicia.

Shanicia, who has autism, got on the bus Friday morning to go to her special needs day camp, but she never got off the bus at Longfellow Middle School in Mount Vernon. Instead, she spent 7 hours stranded on a bus at the Royal Coach Depot in Yonkers on a warm summer day.

"She looked lethargic, her mouth was white and she complained of a stomachache," Alicia added, "she was hungry and dehydrated."

"She's not talking about it, she's just clingy, we're just loving her," said Shanicia's grandmother, Yvonne Wenderburn.

The child was treated at Lawrence Hospital in Bronxville. The discharge statement reports "medical neglect of a child by a caregiver."

Yonkers Police had a missing persons report filed, but say the case was closed, refusing to give more details.

Shanicia's grandmother, Yvonne says she is going to take this case as far as she can take it.

Eyewitness News reached out to the Royal Coach bus company, but so far have not received a response.