Autistic Student Assaulted By Bus Driver: Fairfax County Police

LORTON, VA — A Fairfax County school bus driver and his aide have been charged with assaulting an autistic 11-year-old boy last month in two separate incidents on the way to school, according to Fairfax County Police. The driver, James Duffy III, 62, and the aide, Edmund Bailey, 35, both of Lorton, were charged with one count of assault and battery — but the extent of the assault is unclear.

The incidents occurred on Oct. 11 and Oct. 13, according to police. A staff member saw the second incident, intervened and notified a supervisor. That was followed by a review of surveillance footage from the school bus. Warrants were issued Nov. 17 and the suspects turned themselves in. Duffy was placed on administrative leave, while Bailey resigned.

Asked Tuesday about the assault details, Fairfax County Police officer Kent Bailey told Patch that, "We can't go into it exactly (because it's) and ongoing investigation." He said that Virginia code defines assault "as any kind of unwanted touching."

John Torre, a Fairfax school district spokesman, declined to identify the school where Bailey and Duffy worked, citing student privacy, when asked by the Washington Post, saying only that, "Student safety is our number one priority and we commend the FCPS employee who intervened on behalf of the student that prompted the investigation and subsequent arrests.

"The actions of those charged do not reflect the expectations of FCPS, nor do they represent the dedication of FCPS employees who care deeply about the well-being of all students, especially those who are most vulnerable," the district said in its statement.

Photos: Fairfax County Police