Update today at IndyStar.com:Bus driver: ‘Angry, disappointed in Washington Twp.’

A private investigation into the February accident that killed a 10-year-old Washington Township elementary school student places blame on the bus driver who dropped the boy off, contradicting an Indiana State Police finding.

Phenix Investigations, hired by the school district to study the accident, identified actions by Ingeborg Willis, the driver of the bus that Christopher Beltz exited before the accident at Spring Mill Elementary, as the primary cause. The report also recommended changes to improve school transportation practices.

After leaving Willis’ bus in the north parking lot, Christopher ran through a line of parked cars and into the path of another bus, driven by Sally Fontaine. The State Police investigation blamed Fontaine for not checking her mirrors.

Washington Township administrators released the Phenix Investigations report with the State Police findings at a School Board meeting Wednesday.

“We wanted a full and honest account of what happened,” Superintendent James Mervilde said. “I don’t think you prevent it from ever happening again if you aren’t honest about it.”

The Phenix report cited Willis as the primary factor because she dropped Christopher off in an unauthorized location. The report also stated that she falsified employment applications by not reporting she’d been fired from Lawrence Township Schools after failing a urine test and gave conflicting testimony during Phenix’s investigation interviews.

Willis’ lawyer, Jack Crawford, called the Phenix Investigations report “preposterous.”

“She acted according to orders and instruction,” he said of Willis. “She is the least responsible person in this unfortunate incident.”

Crawford stated previously that school officials had told Willis to drop off her students in the location that she did on the morning of Christopher’s death. He said Willis had warned officials that the procedure was unsafe.

Mervilde said no one instructed Willis to park at that spot. The Phenix investigation also found no evidence that bus drivers were told to park there.

“Blame has to be determined by civil or criminal authorities,” Mervilde said. “It is in our power to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Christopher Beltz died on our property and on our watch. Everybody is responsible to some degree, including the superintendent.”

No charges have been filed in the accident. A Marion County grand jury will investigate the case.

The district has placed both drivers on paid administrative leave. They were paid through the end of the school year, and bus drivers aren’t paid in the summer, Mervilde said. All Indiana bus drivers operate on contracts that expire at the end of each school year.

Washington Township Schools paid Phenix $38,000 to conduct the investigation. Indianapolis-based Phenix specializes in investigations addressing workplace issues, employee problems and insurance fraud.

In addition to citing Willis’ actions as the primary cause of the crash, Phenix recommended several changes:

Publish a transportation map and plan for each school.

Conduct on-site training with drivers.

Don’t change transportation policy without approval from the transportation director and school principals.

Conduct safety and security training for teachers, staff, drivers and paraprofessionals.

Revamp employee policies to ensure applicants have clear records.

Improve discipline to ensure all employees are held accountable for actions.

The school district changed pickup and drop-off procedures at Spring Mill in March. It also formed a committee to examine pickup and drop-off measures at all its schools.

Summer construction will alter parking and drop-off procedures at four schools this fall, Mervilde said. By Aug. 10, the district will have a map and plan for each school, bus drivers will be briefed on all routes, and no changes can occur without approval from the transportation director and school principals.