Bus Driver, Aides Accused of Tormenting 9-Year-Old NY Boy
A former bus driver and two aides face charges for allegedly tormenting and physically abusing a 9-year-old Long Island boy with autism as they took him back and forth to school, authorities say.
According to an indictment unsealed Tuesday, the driver and aides abused the child, who is nonverbal, on at least four occasions in October -- a month after they started taking him back and forth to his school in West Islip.
Calling the allegations "extremely troubling and depraved," Suffolk County District Attorney Tim Sini said the three allegedly kicked the boy several times and on at least one occasion, they bent his toes backwards, causing him to scream out in agony. At one point, the boy's parents grew concerned about his behavior and asked the bus company to take a look at surveillance cameras.
Those cameras recorded all the alleged abuse, Sini said. Once the bus company saw the footage, the driver and aides were fired. They pleaded not guilty to all the charges against them in court on Tuesday and were released without bail.
"This case in some ways is a parent's worst nightmare," Sini said. "We entrust our children to people like this, to bus drivers, bus aides, teachers."
A defense attorney for one of the accused said his client feels horrible about what happened. He called the incident "unfortunate" and said they're looking to move forward, adding his client has a special needs grandson of his own.
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