Rejected from a bus without a ticket, a child returns home suffering from hypothermia after walking 6 km through the snow: an investigation is underway.

He was supposed to take the bus home after school, like every day. Instead, he found himself walking for miles through the snow, alone, until he arrived home exhausted and suffering from hypothermia. This is the story of an eleven-year-old boy from the Belluno area, now at the center of an investigation by the Prosecutor's Office and a heated public debate.

The incident occurred between San Vito di Cadore and Vodo. After school, the boy showed up at the bus stop with the ticket he had always used, costing 2 euros and 50 cents. However, with the approach of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, the fare would have risen to 10 euros. Given that price, and lacking the appropriate ticket, he would not have been allowed to board the bus.

His mother, Sole Vatalaro, recounts what happened next. "He was exhausted and suffering from hypothermia. He was crying," she says. The child had walked about six kilometers along the bike path, a stretch made even more dangerous by uncleared snow. "He arrived frozen, with blue lips. His jeans were soaked to the thighs," she adds. Her son, she explains, was unable to notify his family because he can't bring his cell phone to school.

The image of a boy walking alone, with two backpacks on his shoulders and snow all around him, had an immediate impact on public opinion. The Dolomiti Bus transport company suspended the driver involved, while the Belluno Prosecutor's Office opened a file to determine any liability. Politicians also reacted, demanding investigations and explanations into what happened, just as the area prepares for an international sporting event that should be a showcase of efficiency and hospitality.

This incident raises questions not only about fare regulations, but also about the procedures adopted in situations involving minors, especially in difficult weather conditions. It leaves behind the image of a child returning home "frozen," a story that no one wanted to tell.