A Cincinnati family is mourning the heartbreaking loss of 7-year-old Ngone Talla, a special-needs student who died after she was found unresponsive in her wheelchair while riding home from school on a Cincinnati Public Schools bus.
Ngone was a second-grade student at Roselawn Condon School. According to her family, she was nonverbal, used a wheelchair and had cerebral palsy and developmental disabilities. Her family said she appeared healthy and happy when she left for school on September 16.
That afternoon, Ngone’s school bus arrived at her family’s home in Cincinnati’s Northside neighborhood. Her family noticed that the bus remained outside for approximately 10 to 15 minutes without the wheelchair ramp being lowered, which they said was unusual.
When family members went onto the bus, they discovered Ngone unresponsive in her wheelchair. Her father, Abdoul Talla, was contacted and called 911. Emergency crews responded, and Ngone was taken to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The Hamilton County Coroner’s Office said Ngone had no traumatic injuries or signs of physical harm connected to her death. Officials said she became unresponsive while seated in her wheelchair and noted her extensive medical history, including cerebral palsy. The exact cause of death has not been publicly determined.
Some reports have raised the possibility that Ngone may have become entangled in a seatbelt. However, that has not been established as the cause of her death. First Student, the company that operated the bus, said there was nothing in the investigation at that point indicating that a seatbelt caused her death.
The circumstances surrounding what happened during Ngone’s approximately hour-and-a-half ride home remain under investigation. Her family has questioned when the adults aboard the bus realized that something was wrong and why emergency services were not contacted before the bus reached their home. Authorities have not publicly determined whether anyone on the bus knew Ngone was experiencing a medical emergency before arriving.
There were reportedly two adults aboard the bus—a driver and a monitor. First Student has expressed condolences to Ngone’s family and said the company is fully cooperating with authorities and Cincinnati Public Schools while the investigation continues.
Cincinnati Public Schools also expressed its condolences and activated its Crisis Response Unit to support students and staff at Roselawn Condon School following Ngone’s death.
Ngone’s family is now left with grief and unanswered questions as investigators work to determine exactly what happened between the time she left school and when she was discovered unresponsive.
Her father has repeatedly expressed that he simply wants answers about what happened to his daughter.
Y’all Know What sends our deepest condolences to Ngone Talla’s family, friends, classmates and everyone who loved her.
