UNION TOWNSHIP, Ohio — A scared first grader in Clermont County had to walk a mile home alone after apparent confusion on the first day of school.
The 6-year-old girl attends Summerside Elementary in the West Clermont School District. Luckily, a young good Samaritan helped get her home safe, under the watchful eye of her very proud mother.
Stephanie Rogers said she was driving her daughter, Skyler Smith, after school Wednesday. They knew something was wrong when they saw the first grader walking home by herself.
“She was certainly terrified trying to make her way across the road,” Rogers said.
“She was scared to cross it because she didn’t want anybody to hit her,” said Skyler.
Skyler and her mom both wanted to help. But since they didn’t know the girl or her family, they knew they couldn’t offer her a ride.
“This is not right. This little girl cannot walk down there,” Rogers remembered thinking. “I’m saying this and Skyler picked up on this. Skyler’s like, ‘Well, do something.’
"Skyler said, ‘Stop the car. I’m going to walk with her.’ ”
Without a second thought, Skyler hopped out and walked the little girl home while Rogers drove behind them.
“I felt like she would be really scared by herself and might end up getting hurt or forget her way home,” Skyler said.
That was just Skyler being Skyler, her mom said.
“She’s very humble,” said Rogers. “She’s very helpful and ambitious.”
Chopper 9 flew over the mile walk home down Old Route 74 and across the Interstate-275 overpass. There were no sidewalks most of the way.
Reporter: “Were you scared at all walking that?”
Skyler: “Yeah. Just a little bit because I thought some people would almost hit us.”
The first grader’s mother was very grateful. Her father said the school was supposed to put her on a bus that day.
West Clermont Schools said it’s proud someone stepped up to get a student home safe, but it also said it released the student to walk home as directed by her family.
