School bus aide accused of assaulting 10-year-old boy who has special needs

LITTLETON, Colo. (TND) — A school bus aide in Colorado was arrested after security video surfaced of her beating a 10-year-old student who has special needs, according to authorities.

An 11-page arrest affidavit noted 28-year-old Kiarra Jones, a paraprofessional for Littleton Public Schools, was charged with third-degree assault for allegedly assaulting an at-risk child with a disability on a school bus.

Surveillance footage released Tuesday by civil rights attorneys shows a woman -- allegedly Jones -- sitting next to a child on a bus. The woman is seen elbowing and hitting the child repeatedly.

***WARNING: The following video contains graphic content. Viewer discretion is advised.***

Attorney Qusair Mohamedbhai, who is representing the child's family, said the video uncovers months of "unimaginable abuse," with documented injuries dating back to September 2023.

These unprovoked assaults on a defenseless, severely disabled child are sickening," Mohamedbhai said in a news release.

The affidavit, which was filed Thursday in Arapahoe County and obtained by The National Desk, noted the director of LPS Transportation contacted authorities after the child's parents said their son came home with several injuries.

The attorney described the injuries as "unexplained scratches, bruises, a lost tooth, a broken toe, a black eye, and other deep bruises on their bodies and feet."

In the affidavit, a detective with the Englewood Police Department said the video shows Jones assault the child on Feb. 13. He added other footage that revealed more abuse on two other days, including Feb. 13 and March 1.

The detective said Jones was recorded "forcefully" pushing the child's head down toward the floor before hitting him in the mouth with the back of her hand. She hits him again in the mouth a second times, according to the detective, and then punches him in the face with a closed fist.

The punch is so hard (the child's) head goes back and hits the seat," the detective wrote in the affidavit.

Jones, according to the detective, hits the boy in the stomach, elbows him twice in the chest, elbows him in the face, and pulls his hair.

Kiarra is seen possibly grabbing onton (the child's) left are and putting it behind (his) own back," the affidavit noted. "She continues to touch (the child's) left arm in an unwelcoming manner. (The child) is struggling to gain control of (his) arm. Kiarra then elbows (the child) in the abdomen. Kiarra then grabs (him) by the jaw, reaches behind (his) head, and forcefully pushes (his) head down. Once (his) head is down, she punches (him) in the back with a closed fist."

Throughout the ordeal, Jones appears to touch the child in "an unwelcoming manner," the detective noted. He also noted she appears to tickle him.

The boy, at one point, slaps and pushes her hand away from him.

The detective said the assault went on for more than a half hour.

How could someone I trusted, someone I was so friendly with, do this to my little boy?" the child's mother, who identified herself as Jess, said during a news conference.

She and her husband, Devon, said their son, who is nonverbal and has "severe autism," is a student at The Joshua School.

Jess also said she wanted to release the footage because she worries other children are being abused, as well.

"If he had to live through it, I think the least everybody else could do is pay attention to it so that it doesn't happen again," she said.

Mohamedbhai said other families have come forward, saying their children were abused, as well. He said they have gone to Little Public School with their concerns to no avail.

The circumstances surrounding this abuse serve as a grim reminder of the potential for some individuals to commit heinous acts against the most innocent and vulnerable members of society," the attorneys noted in the release. "It underscores the importance of not solely relying on the school system to ensure the safety of autistic children entrusted to their care during transportation to school."

According to The Associated Press, Littleton Public Schools Superintendent Todd Lambert sent a letter to the school community on April 5, saying Jones was fired after her arrest.

“This kind of behavior cannot be and is not tolerated," Lambert wrote. "As parents, you trust us with the well-being of your children and you should never have to worry about them being harmed when they are in our care."

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