The child was found dead hours after she was meant to be dropped off to her kindergarten.

Authorities in Qatar have taken action against a private kindergarten just days after a four-year-old child was found dead onboard a school bus, a statement confirmed.

The Ministry of Education and Higher Education closed the facility “which witnessed the tragic accident that shook the community with the death of one of the female students,” a statement read on Tuesday.

The move came after an “investigation proved the negligence of the workers, who were subjected to the most severe penalties,” it added, without identifying the facility.

“The Ministry renews its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of our students in our various educational institutions,” the ministry statement said.

On Monday, the parents of the child met Minister of Education Buthaina Al-Nuaimi .

The visit came just a day after Minsa Maryam was found dead onboard a school bus hours after she was supposed to be dropped off alongside her peers on Sunday.

The girl, who attends a private kindergarten in Al Wakrah, had been transported to the facility as per her usual routine when she fell asleep on the bus – unbeknownst to supervisors onboard.  

It is unclear how many supervisors or staff, aside from the driver, were travelling with the students. However, reports say the bus was left parked in an open space during the daytime heat, which reaches above 40 degrees celsius by midday. 

The child, who was due to celebrate her birthday on the same day, was reportedly found hours later at 11.30am and transported to hospital for resuscitation. Doctors were unable to save her.

Doha News has reached out to the Al-Wakrah based kindergarten but has yet to receive a response.