A Polk County school bus driver and his attendant were arrested Wednesday and each charged with felony aggravated child abuse after investigators say they repeatedly sprayed an industrial disinfectant cleaner into the face, torso and back of a 15-year-old non-verbal student. Both men were fired from Polk County Public Schools immediately after their arrests.
Jeffrey Larson, the driver, and William “Cody” Roberts, the bus attendant, are accused of tormenting the severely disabled teenager while working a route tied to Karen M. Siegel Academy, according to FOX 13 Tampa Bay. Arrest records cited by the station show the pair allegedly sprayed the cleaner directly at the student multiple times while making recorded verbal threats captured on onboard cameras, per the same report. The victim reportedly has the cognitive functionality of a toddler.
During an interview with Polk County Sheriff's deputies, Roberts admitted to spraying the student's face up to five times, the station's report states, and acknowledged that what he did was wrong. Roberts said the non-verbal teen had no way to advocate for himself.
How a Rise in Referrals Led to the Footage
The alleged abuse came to light after the principal at Karen M. Siegel Academy requested bus video footage from the school board following a noticeable rise in student behavior referrals linked to that specific route, according to WTSP. Internal referral tracking prompted administrators to pull the surveillance tapes, which reportedly led directly to the discovery of the alleged conduct.
Because Larson and Roberts were assigned to routes serving multiple campuses, Polk County Public Schools sent notifications to families at Karen M. Siegel Academy, Boswell Elementary, and Tenoroc High School, WTSP reports. District officials assured parents that both workers were permanently removed from their positions following the arrests.
Inside a School Built for Severe Disabilities
Karen M. Siegel Academy, located in Lake Alfred, serves roughly 175 students ages 3 to 22 with significant cognitive disabilities, according to Polk County Public Schools.
Under Florida Statute § 827.03, aggravated child abuse is classified as a first-degree felony punishable by up to 30 years in state prison, up to 30 years of probation, and a fine of up to $10,000, according to the Richard Hornsby law firm. Florida's sentencing guidelines categorize the charge as a Level 9 offense, with a 48-month minimum sentence absent grounds for a downward departure, the firm notes.
A District Already Stretched Thin
The case also draws attention to Polk County's transportation system.
This is not the first allegation of its kind to shake a Tampa Bay-area school system. In January, two bus staff members in neighboring Hillsborough County Public Schools were arrested after a bus aide was recorded hitting a 10-year-old student with autism while the driver laughed, according to WFLA.
It remains unclear whether the 15-year-old student suffered lasting physical harm from the chemical spray, and Polk County Public Schools has not detailed what additional oversight or monitoring measures it may implement across its special-needs bus routes going forward.
