Lawsuit Filed Against Bus Driver Accused of Hitting Special Needs Child

ORLAND PARK, IL -- The bus driver accused of hitting a 4-year-old special needs boy in the face in Orland Park last fall has been sued along with the company she worked for at the time by the family of the boy. The lawsuit names 63-year-old Linda Bell of Alsip and Sunrise Southwest, LLC - the company contracted by Orland Park School District 135 for bus service, according to a Daily Southtown report.

Bell was charged with battery following the alleged incident on Oct. 7, 2016 in which she was accused of hitting the boy while helping him put a shoe back on. She plead guilty to the count in April and served 30 days on electronic monitoring and has two years of probation. She was initially charged with aggravated battery as well.

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The lawsuit claims battery and negligence and states the boy suffered a permanent injury from the incident.
Police said in October authorities were first alerted when a parent noticed the boy crying while departing the school bus and overheard Bell apologizing to him.

The lawsuit seeks a total of $110,000 plus litigation costs.

More via the Daily Southtown

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