The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
The alleged confrontation occurred at a Greenwood apartment complex on the morning of October 31, when the bus had picked up their child. According to the affidavit, the two adults got on the bus without permission. Multiple people later reported seeing them enter the vehicle and aggressively confront several students.
According to reports, the situation stemmed from the belief that other children had bullied their grade-school-aged child. The woman, who is the child’s stepmother, allegedly became hostile towards at least two students. Bus surveillance footage, later reviewed by police, showed what appeared to be her initiating a heated exchange. She reportedly threatened one boy, and investigators noted that it appeared she tried to get her stepson to physically fight with him.
The bus driver attempted to stop the situation by stepping between the adults and the children, but the stepmother allegedly struck two students. Things intensified when the father also became physically involved. Footage indicated he told his son to hit one of the boys the stepmother had confronted. The child reportedly complied, and the father allegedly grabbed the student and forced him to the ground while his child continued hitting the boy. Afterwards, the father was seen pushing another student into a seat.
Following the bus encounter, law enforcement officers located the parents while they were in a vehicle and initiated a traffic stop. They were taken into custody and transported to the Johnson County Jail. Both adults were charged with two counts of battery involving children under age fourteen. Additionally, the father received a charge related to contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a criminal offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.