Florida School Bus Aide, 79, Charged with Child Abuse After ‘Smacking’ 9-Year-Old Autistic Boy: Police

A 79-year-old school bus aide in Florida has been arrested and charged with child abuse after authorities said he deliberately hurt a 9-year-old nonverbal autistic boy.

In a press release from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, deputies said they responded to Cypress Creek Elementary School on Friday, Jan. 9, after receiving a report of possible child abuse.

When they arrived, deputies spoke with the child’s mother, who told them she believed her son had been struck on the school bus by his aide, James Savage Jr.

A criminal affidavit states that Savage “intentionally and willfully slapped the victim on [his] left hand.” Police said he then removed his baseball cap and used it to hit the child on the left side of the face. The sheriff’s office said the incident occurred while the boy was strapped into a harness on the bus seat.

The affidavit also noted the child had a “red linear marking to the top of his left hand.” It further alleged the actions were “intentional” and “malicious,” adding that the child is nonverbal, autistic, and under 18.

The sheriff’s office said it included surveillance footage from the bus in its release. The video reportedly shows the aide interacting with the boy. At one point, a man appears to slap the seat, then later strikes the child in the face. The child, whose face is blurred, is then seen touching the left side of his head.

Another segment of footage reportedly shows the child extending his arm toward the man before it is slapped away.

Savage was arrested and is now facing one charge of child abuse.

“Any form of abuse against a child is completely unacceptable,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said in the sheriff’s office release. “Children deserve to feel safe at all times, especially in the care of those entrusted with their well-being. Protecting our most vulnerable is a responsibility we will never take lightly, and those who violate that trust will face the consequences.”