New Brunswick Bus Monitor Charged In Death Of Girl, 6

FRANKLIN, NJ — A New Brunswick woman has been criminally charged with causing the death of a special-needs 6-year-old girl during a school bus ride this past Monday, said Somerset County Prosecutor John McDonald.

Amanda Davila, 27, of New Brunswick, is charged with second-degree manslaughter and second-degree child endangerment. She worked as the monitor on a school bus for special-needs children.

On Monday morning, the bus was transporting children from their homes to an extended school year program at a school in Franklin Township. The school was not named.

The 6-year-old girl, who uses a wheelchair, was picked up from her home in Franklin Township Monday morning and was headed to the school.

At approximately 9:04 a.m., Franklin Township Police were called to the school for a 911 call of an unresponsive child. Responding officers administered CPR to the 6-year-old and she was taken to a local hospital's intensive care unit, where she was subsequently pronounced dead, said the prosecutor.

Detectives say that after the little girl got on the bus, Davila secured her wheelchair in the back of the bus. During the ride, a series of bumps in the road caused the 6-year-old to slump in the seat of her wheelchair, making the 4-point harness that secured her to the chair become tight around her neck — ultimately blocking her airway.

On the ride, Davila was seated towards the front of the bus. She was using her cell phone while wearing ear bud headphone devices in both ears, said the prosecutor, which was a violation of policies and procedures.

Davila was taken without incident into custody Tuesday and she is currently at the Somerset County Jail.

Anyone with information relating to this incident is asked to please contact the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit at (908) 231-7100 or the Franklin Township Police Department at (732) 873-5533 or via the STOPit app. The STOPit app allows citizens to provide anonymous reports including videos and photos.

STOPit can be downloaded to your smart phone for free at the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, access code: SOMERSETNJ. Information can also be provided through the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477). All anonymous STOPit reports and Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.