A Malone Central School bus driver dropped off a five-year-old roughly 20 miles away from her home. The schools' Superintendent is taking full responsibility for the mix up and tells our Sarah Hagen it's an example of why a new, stricter bus change policy is in the works.

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"My daughter's missing. I mean as a parent, the worst runs through your head," said the mother of a five-year-old student.

She had called the Davis Elementary School in Malone to inform them another adult would greet her daughter at the bus stop that afternoon.

Smith said, "I was giving them a heads-up. I didn't expect them to change the bus, change the address, drop her off 20 miles away from home."

The school secretary accidentally pulled an old address and then signed off on the bus note.

Smith said, "She was negligent and didn't bother looking at the computer, she figured the rolodex was just as good."

The Malone Central Schools superintendent says it's a mistake that stems from an overabundance of changes made each day.

Malone Central Schools Superintendent Wayne Walbridge said, "We are far too accommodating and I guarantee if you look back in the record, we have been overly accommodating to this parent. And that opens the door to mistakes occurring."

And the Superintendent says a change is coming. The school board is reviewing a letter that will be sent home to parents and guardians in the coming weeks. It outlines a stricter, more organized policy.

Walbridge said, "In this particular case, the mistake was on us and we apologize, however, going forward, we are going to be very cognizant about the number of changes and how we allow them to occur."

And that means no changes after 1 p.m.

"Really, we need to have something in writing and a phone number that we can call back to verify indeed it is the parent," Walbridge said.

The Superintendent says with 40 buses servicing the sixth largest school district in the state, this is not the first time there's been a mix up. He hopes, however, the new policy will alleviate some confusion.