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Colorado school bus aide caught on camera striking nonverbal autistic boy: police

Published

2 years ago

April 11, 2024

Colorado school bus aide caught on camera striking nonverbal autistic boy: police

Families of three Colorado special needs children held a press conference Tuesday to draw attention to alleged abuse of their children by a school bus aide employed by Littleton Public Schools, and video of one incident has gone public.

One of the accusations came from the parents of a 10-year-old, nonverbal autistic boy who can be seen on a video being punched, hit and stomped on by a suspect identified as former bus aide Kiarra Jones.

“Due to their inability to communicate verbally, the victims couldn’t disclose the abuse they endured,” law firm Rathod Mohamedbhai LLC, which represents the families, said in a press release.

A police affidavit shared by the law firm says Jones is 29 years old, and that the alleged assaults happened in February and March.

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Kiarra Jones, 29, is accused of assaulting and injuring special needs students while working as a bus aide in Colorado. (Video obtained by FOX31 Denver )

The affidavit, filed April 4, says Jones faces charges of crimes against an at-risk adult or juvenile third-degree assault and crimes against an at-risk adult or juvenile.

Jessica Vestal, the mother of the 10-year-old boy, said her son, who cannot speak, first came home from school in suburban Denver with bruises all over his body in January. Other injuries followed, including a black eye in February, which she said a bus aide blamed on him hitting himself with a toy, and a bruised foot in March.

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Families of the three children shared images of the injuries the special needs students endured. (Photos obtained by FOX31 Denver)

It wasn’t until Vestal asked to review the bus surveillance video last month, which she made public Tuesday, that she learned the bus aide was abusing her son.

“Had bus footage been routinely audited, the torture and torment of my sweet boy could have been stopped,” Vestal said, according to FOX31 Denver.

“If I could say one thing to Littleton Public Schools, it would be, how dare you?” she said. “How dare you fail my son in such an astonishingly preventable way?”

Jones was released from jail shortly after her arrest, The Associated Press reported. She is being represented by lawyers from the public defender’s office, which does not comment to the media on its cases.

A letter sent to parents on April 5 by Littleton Public Schools Superintendent Todd Lambert states Jones was terminated after her arrest on March 19, “the day these concerns were brought to our attention.”

Devon Vestal, front, and his wife, Jess, react as they listen during a news conference to announce plans to sue the Littleton, Colo., school district for abuse suffered by their autistic child while riding the bus to class Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

“This kind of behavior cannot be and is not tolerated. As parents, you trust us with the well-being of your children, and you should never have to worry about them being harmed when they are in our care,” Lambert wrote.

Fox News Digital reached out to Rathod Mohamedbhai LLC for additional comment, but they did not immediately respond.

Vestal, her lawyers and the two other families raising allegations claim the district failed to investigate what was behind their children’s unexplained injuries.

“Each family is experiencing an immeasurable amount of pain, heartbreak, anger and utter disillusionment as they seek justice for their children,” a press release from Rathod Mohamedbhai LLC said.

Together, the three families are considering a lawsuit against the school district, which provides the transportation of the students to The Joshua School. A statement from the school to Fox News Digital said it is an “independent organization contracted by school districts to provide educational and behavioral services to students.”

The statement added that the school operates separately from Littleton Public Schools, but it is “devastated about these terrible incidents involving the LPS employee.” The school is cooperating with the Englewood Police Department, which took over the case from the Littleton Police.

Jones had worked for the school district since August 2023. Her next court date is May 3, according to The Colorado Sun.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Alaska

Dozens of vehicle accidents reported, Anchorage after-school activities canceled, as snowfall buries Southcentral Alaska

Published

27 minutes ago

January 6, 2026

Press Room

Dozens of vehicle accidents reported, Anchorage after-school activities canceled, as snowfall buries Southcentral Alaska

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – Up to a foot of snow has fallen in areas across Southcentral as of Tuesday, with more expected into Wednesday morning.

All sports and after-school activities — except high school basketball and hockey activities — were canceled Tuesday for the Anchorage School District. The decision was made to allow crews to clear school parking lots and manage traffic for snow removal, district officials said.

“These efforts are critical to ensuring schools can safely remain open [Wednesday],” ASD said in a statement.

The Anchorage Police Department’s accident count for the past two days shows there have been 55 car accidents since Monday, as of 9:45 a.m. Tuesday. In addition, there have been 86 vehicles in distress reported by the department.

Snow measuring up to 17 inches deep in Anchorage, Alaska, on Jan. 6, 2026.(Alaska’s News Source)

The snowfall — which has brought up to 13 inches along areas of Turnagain Arm and 12 inches in Wasilla — is expected to continue Tuesday, according to latest forecast models. Numerous winter weather alerts are in effect, and inland areas of Southcentral could see winds up to 25 mph, with coastal areas potentially seeing winds over 45 mph.

Up to a foot or more of snow has fallen across Southcentral Alaska, with more snow expected... — Up to a foot or more of snow has fallen across Southcentral Alaska, with more snow expected through the day.(Alaska’s News Source)

Some areas of Southcentral could see more than 20 inches of snowfall by Wednesday, with the Anchorage and Eagle River Hillsides, as well as the foothills of the Talkeetna Mountain, among the areas seeing the most snowfall.

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Arizona

Trump issues rare dual endorsement in Arizona swing district

Published

33 minutes ago

January 6, 2026

Press Room

Trump issues rare dual endorsement in Arizona swing district

The president praised both Jay Feely and Gina Swoboda as “Highly Respected America First Patriots.”
The president’s team had not publicly confirmed his endorsement of Swoboda before the Jan. 6 social media post.
The district, which includes wealthy pockets of Paradise Valley, Scottsdale, and north Phoenix, has a hot-and-cold relationship with the president.

President Donald Trump endorsed not one but two Republicans in a highly watched Arizona congressional primary, boosting a new candidate after his first pick met resistance from some in the GOP.

In a Jan. 6 social media post, Trump said he was backing Jay Feely, a former Cardinals kicker and sports commentator who recently switched his campaign into Arizona’s Scottsdale-area 1st Congressional District, in addition to Gina Swoboda, the state GOP chair whose candidacy has divided Republicans despite her securing Trump’s support in October.

The president praised both Feely and Swoboda as “Highly Respected America First Patriots.”

“JAY OR GINA WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” he wrote on Truth Social, the social media platform he owns.

The announcement is a blow to Swoboda, a polarizing figure among Arizona Republicans. Her longtime rivalry with Turning Point, the network of conservative advocacy groups founded by the late activist Charlie Kirk, has shadowed her candidacy, prompting attacks and infighting among Arizona Republicans.

The president’s team had not publicly confirmed his endorsement of Swoboda before the Jan. 6 social media post.

In an interview with The Arizona Republic, Feely said he thought the endorsement came back to his “friendship” and shared values with the president.

“I love what he’s doing. I believe in what he’s doing. I’m committed to the same principles that he and his administration have,” Feely said.

“We wish Gilbert resident Jay Feely well in his latest campaign for Congress, but nothing has changed,” Swoboda campaign consultant Chris Baker shot back in a written statement to The Republic. “Gina Swoboda will be the Republican nominee in AZ01.”

The endorsement will also set back two other high-profile GOP candidates in the race, the ultra-conservative state Rep. Joseph Chaplik and businessman John Trobough, who both told The Republic they, too, had been in touch with the White House.

Though Trump’s endorsement will be a boon in the Republican primary, it could become a liability in the general election. The district, which includes wealthy pockets of Paradise Valley, Scottsdale, and north Phoenix, has a hot-and-cold relationship with the president.

National GOP leaders encouraged him to run in Scottsdale, Feely says

Feely initially launched his campaign in Arizona’s 5th Congressional District, which includes much of Chandler, Queen Creek and Gilbert, where he lives with his family. He billed himself as a home-grown candidate with a “heart to serve,” and a MAGA devotee who has a personal relationship with Trump.

His prospects in that district dimmed after the president endorsed one of his opponents, Mark Lamb, the well-known former sheriff of Pinal County. Early polling showed Lamb with a large advantage in the race.

But Trump took a liking to Feely, encouraging the former football player in a November social media post to “run in a different district, or for a different office.”

Feely followed the president’s advice. He switched his campaign into the Scottsdale district on Dec. 19. Trump’s endorsement followed about two weeks later.

In an interview Feely said national Republican leaders in D.C., and “grassroots leadership” in the Valley, encouraged him to pivot to the Scottsdale seat. He said he spoke several times with House Speaker Mike Johnson on the matter.

“I wanted to do what was best for the team,” he told The Arizona Republic.

“If they wanted me to run in CD1, and they felt like I was the best candidate, and the one that could hold that seat, then I was willing to do that.”

It’s rare but not unheard of for the president to endorse multiple candidates in a single race.

Last year Trump endorsed two congressional hopefuls in a West Valley-area Republican primary, including the eventual winner, U.S. Rep. Abe Hamadeh.

And in Missouri’s 2022 U.S. Senate race, Trump left election-watchers scratching their heads when he endorsed “Eric,” a first name shared by the race’s two front-runners. Both campaigns claimed the endorsement as their own.

For years the Scottsdale-area district has been considered one of the most competitive races in the country. Its incumbent, U.S. Rep. David Schweikert, announced last year he would not seek re-election in 2026, winding down his 15-year tenure on Capitol Hill and setting up a bitter contest for the rare open congressional seat.

Across the aisle, about half a dozen high-profile Democrats are fighting for their party’s nomination.

The candidates have already raised millions of dollars between them, with campaign spending only expected to escalate leading up to the Aug. 4, 2026 primaries. The Nov. 3, 2026, general election will bring millions more expensive television advertisements, mailers, and social media ads to the district, much of it financed by national Republican and Democratic groups wrestling for control over the U.S. House.

Feely has raised more than $1 million, about a third of which he has loaned himself, according to a report filed this fall. His personal financial disclosure shows he is worth at least $15 million, giving him a piggy bank that could help finance a campaign.

Swoboda has raised “quite a bit” of money, said campaign consultant Chris Baker, though her fundraising receipts aren’t yet public.

Rivals slam Feely’s out-of-district residence

Feely’s rivals have slammed him for running in a district where he doesn’t live.

“If Jay Feely wants to travel 50 minutes every day to run in Arizona’s 1st Ccongressional District, where he’s never lived, we will pay for his Uber,” Alfredo Rodriguez, a strategist with the Trobough campaign, wrote in a news release. “Tell him to send us the bill.”

“If Gilbert carpetbagger Jay Feely foolishly thinks he can win in AZ01, then more power to him I guess. But the outcome won’t change – Gina Swoboda will win the Republican primary,” Baker wrote in a statement to The Republic.

Feely said in an interview he has connections to the Scottsdale district, even though he doesn’t actually live there. The district is “about economics” and “represents the entrepreneurial spirit,” he said.

“I’ve invested in companies in this district. My friends and family live in this district. And I want to be an asset to all of them,” Feely said.

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