A 64-year-old school bus attendant in Albuquerque, New Mexico has been arrested after surveillance footage revealed she repeatedly hit a non-verbal autistic student over multiple days.
Debbie Chavira faces five counts of child abuse charges after video evidence showed her striking the student 59 times between August 26 and September 4, according to police reports. The attacks included open-handed hits, closed fists, and strikes with a plastic "child check" sign to the student's face, torso and arms.
The abuse came to light when school officials noticed fresh scratch marks on the back of the child's neck on September 4 and reported the incident. A review of bus surveillance footage revealed the pattern of repeated assaults over the 10-day period.
Investigators noted they were unable to interview the victim due to the student being non-verbal and unable to communicate through writing. The police report indicated Chavira's actions appeared "intentional and without justifiable cause."
Chavira resigned from her position with Albuquerque Public Schools on September 5, just one day after the abuse was discovered. She was arrested on October 4 and has since been released under pretrial supervision. No legal representative for Chavira has been identified.
In response to the incident, school district spokesperson Martin Salazar emphasized that such behavior is not tolerated. The district immediately placed Chavira on leave upon discovering the abuse and notified law enforcement, leading to a police investigation and criminal charges.
The case highlights concerns about the vulnerability of special needs students and the critical importance of proper oversight and protection of children in educational settings.
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