Posted on: Wednesday, January 15, 2003

EDITORIAL
It takes guts, smarts to protect our children

Thanks to the nimble and creative thinking of bus driver Lynette Burdette-Lopez, 9-year-old Daniel Gilman was reunited with his family this weekend.

Burdette-Lopez recognized Daniel Gilman Sunday when the boy and his grandfather stepped aboard her bus in 'Aiea. His grandfather had reportedly taken the boy from a Christmas family get-together.

She had read about the boy's disappearance in The Advertiser and seen a flier of Daniel on a notice board. The trick was to notify police without alerting anyone on the bus.

So when her two-way bus radio conked out, she pulled over and pretended to fix a mechanical problem. She then contacted police with a colleague's radio. The grandfather was arrested on suspicion of custodial interference and young Daniel was returned to his grandmother.

We're just glad Burdette-Lopez didn't turn a blind eye — as others might have — and used utmost discretion to get the boy safely home.