Authorities report that seven students from Georgia have been arrested following an alleged attack on a seven-year-old classmate on a bus. The attackers, who range in age from 5 to 14, face battery charges stemming from the incident that occurred on April 18 while the bus was en route to Matty Live Elementary School in Statesboro. The Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office shared this information just days ago.
Police learned of the assault about a week later, after examining security footage from the bus, which helped identify those involved. According to reports, this disturbing attack included one child physically assaulting the victim. “One child left his seat and pretty much stomped on the seven-year-old,” noted Captain Todd Hutchens, describing it as a “violent attack.”
Hutchens expressed some frustration, stating that even young children have a responsibility to know better. “Five-year-olds can be wrong too,” he remarked. “They understand that jumping on another child and hitting them isn’t acceptable.”
Fortunately, the victim only sustained minor bruises from the ordeal. Reports indicate that the students involved have since been suspended from school.
The bus driver, 70-year-old Joey Edwin Jackson, was also arrested after it was discovered he failed to intervene or stop the incident. “The bus driver didn’t take appropriate action,” Hutchens explained, detailing how Jackson notified the bus garage of the situation while continuing to the school.
Jackson faces charges of failing to report child cruelty and child abuse, resulting in his termination. He was booked into the Brook County Jail on April 30 but was released the next day after posting a $15,000 bond.
All seven students will have their cases addressed in juvenile court. Principal Charles Wilson stated, “Bulloch County Schools will not tolerate this kind of behavior. We want parents to feel assured that when their children come to school, they’re in a safe environment where they’re treated with respect and able to learn.”
