Autistic Child Abused on School Bus: Sheriff Provides Update on Arrests

Abuse on School Bus

• 💔 A 10-year-old autistic boy with limited verbal communication was subjected to abuse on a school bus.
• 🚨 The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office received a report from DCF after a witness observed a bus aide striking the child.
• 📹 Detectives retrieved 30 days of video footage, revealing the bus aide struck the victim at least 14 different occasions.

Actions of School Employees

• ⛓️ The bus aide, employed since 2013, has been arrested and charged with 14 counts of child abuse.
• 🎭 The bus driver, employed since 1997, was arrested for failing to report child abuse and was seen mocking, exploiting, and ridiculing the child's disability.
• 🚫 At no point did the bus driver intervene or attempt to stop the abuse, instead threatening further violence.

Investigation Details

• ⚠️ The sheriff expressed confidence that the abuse likely occurred before the 30-day video capture period.
• 🧐 The bus driver's claim that the behavior was "jokeful playful behavior" was dismissed as "complete rubbish" by the sheriff, citing the child's visible fear.
• 🧠 The bus aide was on a special bus with a specially trained aide for children with special needs, making her actions even more egregious.

Impact and Outreach

• ✅ Teachers at the child's school noticed bruising and a complete change in his behavior when it was time to go home.
• 🗣️ The child's parents reported a complete improvement in his behavior since he is no longer around the two individuals.
• 📢 The sheriff urged parents to contact the authorities if they suspect their child may have been abused, struck, mocked, or ridiculed by these individuals, emphasizing the importance of finding any other potential victims.
• 🤝 Detectives have reached out to other parents and children who may have witnessed the events, and the investigation remains active.