A 4-year-old elementary student never made it to her school on March 19.

Instead, the little girl spent the entire morning asleep on her school bus. Eventually, she was found in the parking lot of a Central grocery store, this according to an East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office official.

According to a report from The Advocate, a customer found the girl in the Winn Dixie parking lot and brought her to the manager who alerted authorities. The school bus driver was not at the store when deputies arrived but the bus was located in the parking lot.

drivers must check the bus at the end of every route to prevent children being left on the bus.

The first bell at the child's school rang at 8:25 a.m. but she wasn't discovered until 12:48 p.m. The bus driver was fired and an internal investigation is currently underway.

School system spokeswoman Taylor Gast the child was in "good health and released to parents." Gast also said the incident is a good reminder of the state law and that safety and security of all students is a "top priority."

How would you react if your 4-year-old child was found under a tree in a parking lot?

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