Polk County School Bus Aide Charged With Child Abuse: Police

FROSTPROOF, FL — A Polk County school bus aide is facing a child abuse charge after authorities said she grabbed a 7-year-old student by his jacket and forced him into a seat.

Christine Barnes, 70, of Lake Wales, is charged with abusing a child without bodily harm following the incident that happened on an Exceptional Student Education bus near Ben Hill Griffin Elementary School in Frostproof.

According to the arrest affidavit, Barnes "grabbed the victim by the front of his jacket near his throat" and lifted him off the seat, causing his head to snap backward. Barnes then "forcefully put the victim into an open seat on the other side of the aisle," authorities said.

According to a Polk County Sheriff's Office news release, the boy's mother reported the incident Friday.

During an interview with police, Barnes told detectives she lost her temper and felt her actions were harsh. She also told detectives she was feeling overwhelmed, authorities said.

Polk County Public Schools Superintendent Fred Heid said school officials were "deeply upset and disappointed" by Barnes' behavior.

"Working on a school bus can be stressful, but it is never acceptable to handle a student this way," Heid said in a statement emailed to Patch. "We are cooperating fully with law enforcement and intend to terminate this employee.”

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said the child suffered a small scratch on his cheek from the incident.

"If you're a school bus aide, your job is to keep children safe on the bus," Judd said in a statement. "You're also in a position of being a role model — losing your temper with a child is not setting a good example."