The 29-year-old Littleton Public Schools bus aide accused of beating and stomping the feet of disabled kids riding to and from school pleaded not guilty Monday to a handful of felony child abuse charges.
Arapahoe County prosecutors say Kiarra Jones was in a position of trust when she abused at-risk, severely disabled kids on the bus to the Joshua School, a program for students with special needs. They allege she pulled the hair of at least two victims, punched them, stomped on their feet and hit them.
Jones’ plea was emotional for many of the school’s parents, who were in Arapahoe County Court Monday.
“The fact she won’t take ownership proves the monster that she is,” said Blake McBride, whose son, who turns 11 this week, is a victim. “You know what you did. The video is there.”
Most of the kids are non-verbal and couldn’t speak out. However, the incidents were captured on a bus camera. School officials didn’t routinely review the footage, even though parents expressed concerns about injuries their kids had when they got home from school. Eventually the videos were turned over to police.
LPS said the school board is considering an update to its bus and surveillance camera policies to have staffers regularly review footage.
The incidents took place on the bus between January and March of this year, police say. Jones had only been working for Littleton Public Schools for seven months and was fired.
In court on Monday, Jones’ attorney said they were open to a plea deal but prosecutors declined that. A trial is scheduled for Feb. 2025.
Many parents have pulled their kids out of the Joshua School. They say LPS should have been more transparent and done more to hold the bus driver, who regularly rode with Jones, accountable. She told officials she didn’t know any of the alleged abuse was taking place behind her.
