EL MIRAGE, AZ — An Arizona teenager suffered second and third-degree burns earlier this month after collapsing on her walk home from school on a day when temperatures hit 112º.
The family of June Shaver said she has been in a burn unit since August 1 to treat injuries to her hands, arms, leg, thighs, and stomach.
The 17-year-old was walking home from Dysart High School when she was overcome by heat and fell to the ground.
Her aunt, Brittani Smith, said the Dysart Unified School District recently changed its bus policies, which cut her from being offered transportation because she now lives outside the bus route.
"She stopped and got water and that is the last thing she remembers," said Smith.
Smith tells ABC15 that a Good Samaritan found Shaver on the street, unconscious but breathing.
"We do not know how long she was on the asphalt before someone found her," Smith said.
A spokesperson for the El Mirage Police Department confirmed officers were called to the intersection of Cactus Road and Palm Street for a teen suffering a possible heat-related illness.
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A police report stated that when first responders arrived, Shaver's internal body temperature was 107º.
The report goes on to say that when officers called her family, they were told the teen walks to and from school because the school district cancelled the bus route, forcing Shaver to walk.
Smith said her niece relied on the school bus as her parents aren’t able to take or pick her up because they work.
Shaver has spent more than three weeks in the hospital and has undergone major surgeries.
”When she does get out of the hospital, she will not be able to go back to school. There will be daily wound changes for all the burns,” said Smith.
In April, ABC15 reported that the Dysart School District made changes to its bus policies that services would only be available to high school students whose primary residence is more than two radial miles from their school.
In a statement provided to ABC15 the district wrote in part, “the new transportation boundaries were a necessity,” adding that budget restraints, an aging bus fleet and the recent failed bond all led to the cuts.
FULL STATEMENT:
“Due to laws regarding student records and medical privacy that we must abide by, we are not able to provide any information on this type of incident. However, we can share that anytime a student has a medical condition or health incident, we work very closely with the family to support the student’s education and ensure they have what they need.
Regarding our transportation policy - Last Spring we had the difficult task of notifying our families about the need to extend our transportation eligibility requirements [dysart.org] in order to reduce the daily strain on our aging bus fleet and remain within our budget. With the majority of our buses being 15-20 years old, it is becoming more and more difficult and expensive to maintain them. It has been over 19 years since voters have approved a bond for Dysart, which has impacted a number of needed projects, including bus replacements, along with school safety improvements, AC unit replacements, roof repairs, building a new elementary school, and obtaining land for a high school. The new transportation boundaries were a necessity in order to ensure the district can continue to operate in a fiscally responsible manner. With safety as a top priority, we have shared information about safety to and from school, including heat-related precautions, with our families.
It is important to note that a bond question that would have provided funding for new buses was defeated in November, 2024. A bond question is on the ballot again this November, along with an Override Continuation. If the bond measure is approved by voters, we would certainly re-evaluate our transportation situation to determine what would be feasible moving forward.”
Given the extensive stay in the hospital, the family has created a GoFundMe account to help with medical expenses.
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