Family leaves little girl behind in Boston taxi; driver avoids punishment for not checking cab

Girl left in Boston cab; driver avoids punishment

BOSTON — Boston police have dropped plans to suspend a cab driver who unwittingly drove off with a sleeping 5-year-old girl.

Joseph Cohen tells The Associated Press that he drove a family of six home from Logan International Airport on Sunday. A few minutes later, he was called by the airport cab pool and told that the child had been left behind in his minivan.

Cohen says he immediately returned to the home and reunited the child with her family.

Cohen, a cabbie for 39 years, had faced a three-day suspension for violating rules that require drivers to inspect their cabs after dropping off a fare. He said police dropped the suspension after a meeting Tuesday, but told him to be more careful.

(This version CORRECTS the age of the child to 5.)