Nationwide — Daija Spencer, an African American mother, says her 4-year-old daughter, Brielle Davis, was accidentally placed in the wrong car during pickup at an elementary school in Houston, Texas. Though Brielle was quickly returned, the incident left the family shaken and demanding answers.
Spencer said her daughter ran to her crying and told her, “Mommy, I was put in the wrong car. I didn’t see you. I didn’t see Daddy. Why didn’t you come save me?” Brielle didn’t recognize the driver, which immediately alarmed her mother.
According to People, the incident happened on Thursday, January 29, at Bastian Elementary School. Spencer claims a staff member put Brielle into a stranger’s vehicle, no one contacted her, and no welfare check was performed. She says she still hasn’t received an incident report or details about the driver.
The Houston Independent School District confirmed a staff member mistakenly put Brielle in a car with other students. The district claims the parent realized the mistake, returned to the school, and Brielle was safely brought to the front office. Spencer disputes that her daughter was ever taken there and says the lack of communication was deeply concerning.
After the incident, the school revised dismissal procedures. The staff member involved was removed from car rider duty, and Brielle will now be dismissed directly from the front office. Spencer took her daughter for a medical evaluation, filed a police report, and Brielle has since been unenrolled from the school.
“As a mother, I deserve to know who my child was with. What if I didn’t get her back?” Spencer said. The district says it remains committed to student safety during all school activities.