Video footage showing a Littleton Schools bus aide punching a nonverbal student strapped into a harness has led to the arrest of the 29-year-old worker and prompted calls for a deeper review of what parents say was months of abuse.
Kiarra Jones faces two counts of crimes against at-risk children, both felonies, according to an arrest affidavit filed in the 18th Judicial District Court in Arapahoe County. Jones was arrested April 4 after a boy’s parents reported bruises to his foot and a police officer reviewed footage from an on-bus camera showing Jones assaulting at least two children on three separate bus rides to and from The Joshua School, a school for kids ages 3 through 21 with developmental disabilities.
In video footage released Tuesday by attorneys representing a 10-year-old boy, Jones appears to elbow the boy in the stomach and strike him in the face with her fist. Then, she appears to stomp on his feet.
Police also reviewed footage from two other bus rides, dating back to mid-February, showing what appears to be Jones pushing a boy’s head to ground and hitting him in the stomach, the affidavit said. It also shows Jones reaching across the aisle to pull the hair of another student before assaulting them, the affidavit said.
The students, who rely on caretakers to provide for their basic needs, appear to be scared, breathing heavily and trying to unbuckle themselves in the video, according to the affidavit.
Families of three children are seeking justice, saying their autistic, nonverbal children have been abused for months by the aide but were unable to communicate anything was wrong, attorneys with Rathod, Mohamedbhai, LLC said Tuesday.
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Starting last September, each family began to see shifts in their child’s behavior, along with unexplained injuries including scratches, a missing tooth, a broken toe, a black eye and bruises on their bodies and feet, their attorneys said. The families independently reported their children’s injuries to the school, but the school district initially said it found no issues.
“Each family is experiencing an immeasurable amount of pain, heartbreak, anger, and utter disillusionment as they seek justice for their children,” the families’ attorneys said Tuesday in releasing the video. “They call upon the Colorado legislature to step up where Colorado school districts have failed and put forth legislation that ensures the safety and protection of students with disabilities when they are being transported to and from school.”
“Colorado can no longer tolerate abuse to the most valuable members of our society.”
Jones was hired by Littleton Public Schools in August 2023 after “satisfactory reference checks” and a thorough background check, Todd Lambert, superintendent of the district, said in an email sent to families last week.
She had “limited access to students during her employment” and was fired March 19, the same day a parent reported injuries to their child after being brought home from The Joshua School, Lambert said.
“This kind of behavior cannot be and is not tolerated. As parents, you trust us with the well-being of your children and you should never have to worry about them being harmed when they are in our care,” Lambert wrote.
Authorities from the school district conducted an investigation “immediately” after receiving the parent’s report, met with the family and notified law enforcement, he said.
Jones, who is 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs 235 pounds, was released from the Arapahoe County jail April 5 after posting $5,000 bail, a spokesperson from the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office said.
Online courts records do not show any previous charges against Jones in Colorado. Her next court date is scheduled for May 3.