6-year-old child dies after school bus ride in New Jersey
A bus aide is facing charges after a 6-year-old child died following a school bus ride in New Jersey on Monday morning.
Amanda Davila, 27, was charged with manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child in connection to the incident.
The child with special needs was attending an extended school program at a school in Franklin Township and was transported by a transit bus.
Officials say the child’s wheelchair was secured in the back of the bus by Davila, who was assigned as a school bus monitor.
However, a series of bumps during the ride caused the child to slump in the wheelchair and become strangled by a harness.
The child arrived at the school unresponsive and first responders administered CPR and took the child to the hospital where the child was later pronounced dead.
Davila was seated at the front of the bus for the ride and officials say she was on her phone and wearing earbuds in both ears. Prosecutors say that is a violation of policy and procedure.
Davila was arrested Wednesday and taken to the Somerset County Jail.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit at 908-231-7100 or the Franklin Township Police Department at 732-873-5533 or via the STOPit app.