A school bus aide in Port St. Lucie, Florida, is facing child abuse charges after an incident involving a 9-year-old special needs student. The police reported that the aide, identified as Abieser Pinillos, age 43, was charged with one count of child abuse and subsequently released on a $5,000 bail. The arrest came after a video surfaced depicting Pinillos forcing the child into her seat in a manner that left visible marks on her neck and arm, WESH reported.
The video, captured by another child on the bus from Northport K-8 School, shows Pinillos telling the student to sit down before he appears to grab and violently shove her back into the seat. It is alleged that he proceeded to shake the girl as she was pinned into the corner of the seat. Authorities and school officials are currently reviewing the incident, which has prompted a larger conversation about treating children with special needs in educational settings. "You can’t abuse children. You can’t hit them. You can’t lift them. You can’t throw them like that. I mean, and this isn’t even, you know, you know, a parent of this child, so there’s no disciplinary issue going on here whatsoever,” Port St. Lucie Police Chief Leo Niemczyk stated as per WFTV report.
Following the incident, Saint Lucie Public Schools declared that Pinillos is no longer a bus aide, and his termination has been recommended. The district reaffirmed its commitment to prioritize the safety and well-being of all students
