Child left in dark classroom sparks concerns at Jackson Northeast Elementary School

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - A young child was left alone in a dark classroom after staff reportedly failed to make sure she boarded the school bus.

Shauntana Milam addressed the Jackson Public School Board on Tuesday, May 15 to make them aware of the day her 5-year-old daughter Mir’acle was left alone in a Northeast Elementary School classroom.

“The teachers ended up turning all the lights off in every aspect of the building. Every room, the hallways, everything was pitch black,” Miller recalled.

She said when three out of four of her children returned home on the school bus that day, she could only do one thing at the moment.

“I started panicking,” Milam said. “Like ‘Oh, my gosh, like, where is my daughter?’”

Without hesitation, Milam said she made her way to Northeast Elementary, where she found two secretaries were still present at the front desk.

“They ended up taking me to her classroom, where they turned the light on and we just see her sleeping at her desk,” Milam said. “And I was just like, what the heck?”

Milam said Mir’acle told her that the teacher said she could take a nap. She said her daughter is known to be hyperactive and has ADHD, so that raised more questions for Milam.

“There were so many thoughts running through my head,” Milam said. “Is this something that they’re trying to get back at my daughter for because of her behavior? Is this something that they did on purpose? Was it an accident?”

The Jackson Public School District declined an on-camera interview but Superintendent Jeff Beal said they are working with the parent and the school to make sure this does not happen again. He said the district is still looking into how a child could have been left in a classroom in the first place.

“I was so distraught. In a panic. Confused,” Milam said. “I was all over the place honestly.”

Hoping school leaders take action, Milam said she just wants to make sure no one is left alone in a dark classroom.

“My daughter is in a classroom with two adults – two adults who walked past her,” Milam said.

Superintendent Beal and other staff are in contact with the mother. The district informed Milam that they will assist in getting her kid(s) transferred if requested.

Shauntana Milam addressed the Jackson Public School Board to make them aware of the day her 5-year-old daughter was left alone in the classroom.

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