West
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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Las Vegas (Nev.) Arbor View quarterback Thaddeus Thatcher announced his commitment to Oregon State and broke down why he chose the Beavers.
After taking official visits to Oregon State, UNLV, UCF and Michigan, the talented signal caller announced for the Beavers moments ago.
“I’m very excited about my decision,” Thatcher said. “Coach Shep (Jamarcus Shephard) has assembled a really great staff and I’m really excited to work with coach (Mitch) Dahlen.
“Coach Dahlen has worked with so many draft picks and it’s really exciting to have the opportunity to be developed by someone like him.”
The potential to compete for early playing time was another big factor for Thatcher.
“They’re going to give me a chance to compete for a spot right away,” Thatcher said. “That’s something I was interested in and so I’m excited about the opportunity.
“My whole family gets along with the entire Oregon State staff and we really believe in Coach Shep. I really think he’s going to be able to get things back on track and I’m excited to be a part of that.”
We originally had a commit prediction in for Michigan with Thatcher and there was strong buzz he was close to committing following his unofficial visit back in early April.
Thatcher decided to take his official visits instead and the Beavers hosted him on May 29. Oregon State started to build momentum with Thatcher following the trip and the Beavs were able to hold off strong competition.
Thatcher is one of the region’s top dual-threat quarterbacks and two-sport athletes. He’s a talented basketball player as well but his fixture is on the grid-iron.
As a junior, Thatcher completed 168-240 passes (70%) for 2,625 yard and 29 touchdowns with just five interceptions. He also rushed for 605 yards and seven more scores and will be a four-year starter for the Aggies, one of the top teams in the state.
New Mexico
New Mexico AG launches criminal investigation into DEA over allegations agents let fentanyl flood state
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New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez on Friday announced a criminal investigation into allegations that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) knowingly allowed hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills to reach New Mexico communities while agents pursued larger criminal investigations.
The inquiry comes days after The Associated Press reported that DEA agents repeatedly monitored—but did not seize—large fentanyl shipments between 2023 and 2025 while attempting to build broader criminal cases.
Torrez said the investigation will examine potential legal remedies, including criminal prosecution, civil litigation and structural reforms intended to prevent similar conduct by DEA agents in the future.
“The families who have lost children, siblings, and parents to fentanyl deserve the truth about what the federal government knew and what it failed to do,” Torrez said in a statement.
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Photo released by the DEA shows fentanyl pills seized in New Mexico on April 28, 2025, as the agency faces scrutiny over allegations it allowed other shipments to reach the streets. (DEA via AP)
“If the DEA stood by while poison flooded our communities, that is not a bureaucratic failure,” he continued. “It is a betrayal of the people it was sworn to protect.”
Torrez said his office “will pursue every legal avenue available to hold the responsible parties accountable and make certain this never happens again.”
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham called for the investigation earlier this week, saying she was “appalled” by allegations that federal agents knowingly allowed hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills to reach communities across the state.
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New Mexico’s attorney general has opened a criminal investigation into allegations that DEA agents allowed large fentanyl shipments to reach local communities while pursuing larger criminal cases. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP)
“Make no mistake: the DEA knew people would die if these pills made it into New Mexico communities, and the agency let it happen anyway,” Grisham said. “The result: hundreds of New Mexican parents burying their kids. Hundreds of New Mexican kids growing up without stable parents. All while the federal government stood by.”
Grisham also pointed to allegations that DEA agents monitored the delivery of 74,000 fentanyl pills to a mobile home park in Albuquerque without intervening.
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DEA Special Agent David Howell, who filed a whistleblower complaint, poses for a portrait outside the U.S. district courthouse in Albuquerque, N.M., on Friday, June 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan)
“Shockingly, the federal government stood by while monitoring shipments, tallying exact pill counts, and watching as these deadly drugs hit the streets,” she said.
Current and former DEA agents, including whistleblower David Howell, told the AP the agency’s tactics gambled with public safety and may have violated Department of Justice guidelines.
While the DEA initially denied Howell’s allegations in a statement to the AP, the agency later requested that the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General conduct an independent review.
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Fentanyl pills seized by the DEA in New Mexico on April 28, 2025. New Mexico officials have since launched a criminal investigation into allegations involving the agency’s handling of separate fentanyl shipments. (DEA via AP)
“Should that review identify areas of improvement, the DEA will of course implement changes to better their practices,” the Justice Department said in a statement. “We welcome a partnership with Governor Lujan Grisham, as well as New Mexico state and local leaders, to fight the scourge of fentanyl and keep her constituents safe.”
The allegations stem from enforcement operations conducted during the deadliest drug epidemic in U.S. history, even as the DEA promoted its “One Pill Can Kill” public awareness campaign warning that even a small amount of fentanyl can be fatal.
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Fox News Digital has reached out to the DEA for comment regarding the investigation.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — Oregon officials asked the public to help find a two-year-old boy who went missing from Portland last Wednesday, June 17.
The Oregon Department of Human Services, Child Welfare Division, is asking the public to help find Armani Andrews and call 911 or local law enforcement if they believe they saw him.
Armani is believed to be in danger and is suspected to be in Portland, around any of the following areas: Rose Haven, Multnomah County Central Library, or Southeast Portland around 82nd-103rd.
Armani is a two-year-old Black/mixed race baby. He is about 24 inches tall, he has brown hair, brown eyes, and his weight is unknown.
If contacting Portland Police Bureau about Armani, reference the case number: #PP185430
The report number for Armani with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children Report is: 2093182
ODHS said in a statement when a child is missing, they may be in significant danger and the department “may need to locate them to assess and support their safety.”
KATU News reached out to ODHS to clarify whether there is a custody aspect to the missing child’s case. The department said they are unable to provide that information.
Armani Andrews with Mother Rashonda Andrews/ODHS photos
You can report suspected child abuse to the Oregon Child Abuse Hotline by calling 1-855-503-SAFE (7233). The toll-free number allows anyone to report abuse of any child or adult to the Oregon Department of Human Services, 24 hours a day, seven days a week and every day of the year.
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KATU News included photographs of Armani to help the public identify and find him.
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