A group of adults reportedly attacked a Texas student on a school bus during drop-off for summer school.
The attack allegedly occurred at Pflugerville ISD’s Dessau Elementary School on June 18. Speaking with Fox 7 Austin, seventh-grader Caden recalled how at least three adults jumped on the bus, evaded the bus driver, and began physically assaulting him.
“Everybody jumped on. It wasn’t just like, so slow, you know? It was quick, quick like,” the 13-year-old said.
He believes there it was two women and one man who attacked him.
“They were like, one of them was like holding my arm, so like, I can’t move or anything. Then the girl was like pulling my hair, and the dude was punching me,” said Caden, per Fox 7.
Caden’s mother, Kelsie Trevino, found her son walking along Dessau Road, shaken up. She took him to St. David’s Hospital, where he was treated for cuts to his face, a neck sprain, and a head injury.
Trevino had some words for the attackers.
“To these people, he is 13, and there were multiple of you and one of him, and he was telling you to stop. You continued,” she said, according to Fox 7.
As to what might have provoked the attack, Caden said he had gotten into a fight with another student he had met on the bus after some heated words escalated into violence.
“I should have ignored him, let things be,” Caden told Fox 7.
Pflugerville ISD is investigating the incident after Trevino brought it to the attention of a district transportation official, who confirmed that the bus security cameras had captured everything.
Trevino said she hopes everyone involved, including her son, gets held accountable for their actions.
“I can accept [that] because I don’t condone behavior in my household as far as Caden being physical with anyone,” she told Fox 7.
Daniela Guardiola, the principal of the Pflugerville ISD’s middle school summer program, addressed the matter in a letter to parents.
“Your child’s safety is our top priority, and we are committed to resolving this situation promptly and effectively,” part of the letter read.
In a similar instance, a 13-year-old Denton ISD student was attacked by adults on a bus ride home in April, as covered by The Dallas Express. The student was punched, kicked, had her hair pulled, and was put in a chokehold.
The incident was caught on camera, which helped investigators identify one adult, 21-year-old Traveonna Mays, who is said to have been “the sister of an involved party,” per CBS News Texas. She was arrested on charges of injury to a child.
An incident of violence visited upon a child also occurred at Dallas ISD last year when a district employee allegedly punched a high school student in the face. Following the employee’s arrest, however, assault charges were ultimately dropped, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.