A Decatur mother says her young son was left alone for hours on a daycare van during frigid weather — an incident reported by WAFF 48 that she says could have ended much worse.

Tykeisha Goode said the ordeal unfolded about two weeks ago at Love and Joy Learning Center, where her 4-year-old son, Master, had been enrolled for several months and routinely rode the daycare van each morning.

According to the station’s report, the problem was discovered when the child’s school called to say he had not arrived, even though he had been transported that day. Alarmed, Goode went straight to the daycare facility. Staff then located the boy still inside the van and brought him to her.

“I get outside, and she’s walking up with my baby, holding my baby’s hand with his book bag and his coat in her hand. And I was like, where was my baby at? And she was like, I’m so sorry. He was in the van,” Goode said in comments to the station.

She said she immediately took her son to the school nurse to be checked. The report states that despite the cold temperatures, the child was shaken but otherwise unharmed.

“I know that I have to protect my baby. And I kind of trusted this place to protect him when I wasn’t there. And they didn’t. So, I feel like I was let down,” Goode said.

A police report cited in the coverage states daycare employees said the van driver was on the job for the first day when the incident occurred.

Goode told the outlet she believes stronger safety checks and accountability measures are needed to keep children safe and prevent similar situations. She has since removed her son from Love and Joy Learning Center.

Sherri Blevins is a reporter for 256 Today.