A school bus driver in Littleton, Massachusetts, is facing serious charges after allegedly raping a child, with revelations that the accused was previously fired in Alabama but managed to slip through the state's background check system. Derek Thistle, 32, was arraigned on May 3rd on charges including forcible rape of a child and indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, reported Boston.com.
The incident came to light after the boy's aunt witnessed Thistle exposing himself to her nephew on FaceTime. Following this, the child disclosed to his aunt that he was sexually assaulted during a visit to the Thistle's Marlborough apartment, months prior to the incident. Despite these alarming allegations, Thistle passed all requisite background checks prior to being hired as a bus driver in Littleton, fund officials say.
In response to the community's distress, Littleton Superintendent Dr. Kelly Clenchy issued an apology and ensured an investigation into the bus company's hiring practices. "I’d like to apologize to our community and apologize to the families that had children that rode that bus,” Clenchy said in a statement obtained by Boston.com. Thistle is also accused of working as a bus driver in Marlborough and Sutton, both areas from which no current allegations have arisen.
After the court hearing, Thistle, who has faced misconduct allegations before, being fired from a previous bus driver job in Alabama, was released on $10,000 bail with strict conditions. These include no contact with the victim or witnesses, as well as a ban on unsupervised contact with minors. Both Thistle and his lawyer declined to comment after the arraignment, reported Boston 25 News. He is set to reappear in court at a later, unspecified date.
Amidst the shocking developments, parents and school officials remain on high alert, emphasizing student safety. The Marlborough School superintendent stated, "The bus driver was formerly employed by NRT and was not an MPS employee. The individual drove routes within the district from 2018–2022, having passed all state, district and company background checks. There is no indication that any Marlborough student, staff, or faculty member was involved in this incident." Clenchy added, "Our highest priority is ensuring that our students are safe, inside and outside of the classroom," in an interview cited by Boston 25 News.
