Boy, 15, accused of horrific crimes against non-verbal 7-year-old on school bus
A 15-year-old Indiana teen has been formally accused of raping a 7-year-old non-verbal second grade student while the two were on the school bus.
The family of the Jennings County second grader has since announced plans to sue Jennings County School Corporation claiming their young son was raped repeatedly by an older student while riding on the school bus.
The harrowing alleged incident happened on April 16 on a bus designated for students with special needs, the Jennings County Juvenile Probation Department confirmed.
'The victim is a non-verbal special education student who was improperly seated directly next to a much older 15-year-old student and was helplessly left unmonitored by two school employees who were on the bus and charged with caring for his safety,' Laura Swafford, an attorney for the second grade student's family, said.
The alleged assaults were recorded by at least one camera inside the school bus, according to court documents.
'Video camera footage later downloaded from inside the bus shows that, on multiple occasions, the victim was sexually assaulted and raped, but neither the Corporation's bus driver nor the extra bus monitor employee did anything to stop the assaults,' Swafford added.
Now, the Jennings County School Corporation is undergoing an extensive review of security footage, from the entire school year, to learn whether there have been additional, unreported incidents.
The alleged incident happened on April 16 on a bus designated for students with special needs, the Jennings County Juvenile Probation Department confirmed. Pictured: Sand Creek Elementary School, one of six elementary schools within the school corporation
Both the victim and the alleged rapist are juveniles and have not been publicly identified.
On Tuesday, the 15-year-old alleged rapist appeared at the Jennings County Circuit Court for a hearing that was closed to the public, WTHR13 reported.
Days earlier, on April 25, the Jennings County School Corporation released a statement, claiming the school corporation is now 'increasing safety protocols.'
North Vernon, where the approximately 3,800 student school corporation is located, is roughly 70 miles southeast of Indianapolis.
'This nightmare tragedy should never have happened,' Swafford said.
The Indianapolis-based attorney went on to raise questions as to the awareness of the school's staff and their 'ability to protect their young.'
'How could both the bus driver and the additional bus monitor-aid not notice anything? Like all parents in the community, the boy's family believed the school would protect their young, vulnerable son.
The family entrusted the school to protect their son by monitoring activity on the bus. The school system breached this trust and clearly failed in its responsibility,' the lawyer added.
Swafford has since filed a tort claim - the legal first step to filing a lawsuit against the North Vernon school corporation.
'The tort claim alleges that the Jennings County School Corporation was grossly negligent, violated the child's civil rights, and caused him permanent injuries and damages,' Swafford said.
'The victim's family is hoping that this claim and its publicity will help prevent such a tragedy from happening to another child while sending a powerful message that all schools should be held accountable for the safety and protection of their students, particularly the most vulnerable disabled children.'
On Tuesday, the district Superintendent Nicole Johnson released a statement addressing the alleged incident.
'We are aware of the legal filing connected to very concerning incidents that allegedly occurred on one of our special transportation buses, and we will respond to this filing through the appropriate legal channels.
We cannot go into any detail about this situation because we are cooperating with an active police investigation and additionally are involved in this litigation.
I want to emphasize, though, that these reports involving students' safety have been heartbreaking and devastating to all of us. Nothing is more important than the safety of our students. While this incident must still be investigated and resolved through our criminal justice system, we are taking steps to try to better ensure the safety of our students,' Johnson's statement concluded.
The North Vernon Police Department confirmed that the 15-year-old suspect is being held in a juvenile detention center.
He has reportedly been charged with one count of rape.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
8 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Scots mum jailed over monkey torture footage which saw macaques crucified & being dipped in boiling oil
Sick Natalie Herron, from Airdrie, was sharing hundreds of barbaric videos in online chats BARBARIC Scots mum jailed over monkey torture footage which saw macaques crucified & being dipped in boiling oil A WOMAN involved in a disturbing global monkey torture network has been jailed for more than two years. Natalie Herron, 39, joined online chat groups which encouraged torture of macaques by offenders based in Indonesia. Advertisement 2 Natalie Herron appeared at Airdrie Sheriff Court Credit: Andrew Barr 2 Natalie Herron encouraged the torture of baby macaques in warped online forums The mum-of-two, from Airdrie, Lanarkshire, became a group administrator for the network and shared hundreds of images and videos of the abuse. Barbaric acts of cruelty included crucifixion, machete attacks and one video showed a baby monkey being dipped in boiling oil. Herron made contact online with Michael Macartney, the US-based ringleader of the network who used the alias 'The Torture King'. The group paid people in Indonesia to carry out and film the atrocities on baby long-tailed macaques. Advertisement Investigators from the National Crime Agency alerted Police Scotland and a raid on Herron's home in 2022 discovered an iPhone with 1,084 images and videos of monkey torture. Officers also discovered 4,000 messages on a WhatsApp group which had been sent by Herron discussing torture and hatred of the animals. Messages included "Oh my God the little b*****d is making my ears bleed," and "I am shocked how easily the drill went through the skull, it was like butter". Another message read: "Trying to find a video where they will kill the mum and the babies watch." Advertisement Herron appeared at Airdrie Sheriff Court where she was sentenced to two years and three months imprisonment. She had earlier admitted two charges of possessing and distributing obscene material, namely videos depicting animal torture, between October 2021 and September 2022 at her home address. Shocking moment dog walker drags animals by their leads & hurls them into home as owner's pal slams 'sickening' footage She admitted a further charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner likely to cause fear or alarm by sending messages to various online and social media groups which described and promoted animal torture. The court was told she made payments to Macartney but she claimed it was not for the videos but to "help him". Advertisement Nicky Matteo, defending, said: "In all the years I have been practising I have not seen a case like this. It has not been a pleasant experience. "She has had horrific problems in life and she built up a connection with other group members. "She was trying to ingratiate herself with other members, it was a false sense of escapism. "She is no longer the person that was responsible for sending those messages. She recognises the severity of it." Advertisement Sentencing Herron, Sheriff Derek Livingston said: "The fact you not only joined these groups but then helped to facilitate them only helped to increase the animals' suffering." A BBC investigation uncovered the warped network that began life on YouTube before it moved to private groups on the messaging app Telegram. The online group paid for baby long-tailed macaque monkeys to be taken from their mothers in Indonesia and then tortured and killed. Members, who claimed they were angered at the monkeys destroying land in Indonesia, even voted on proposed methods. Advertisement Last year Adriana Orme, 56, from Upton-upon-Severn, and Holly Le Gresley, 37, from Kidderminster, were jailed after admitting being part of the global network. Worcester Crown Court heard graphic details of the suffering experienced by young macaques in Indonesia - with the footage sold to people around the world. Le Gresley was jailed for two years while Orme was handed a 15-month term. Macartney, 51, was also jailed last year after pleading guilty in the US state of Virginia to conspiracy to create and distribute animal cruelty videos. Advertisement He was given three years and four months behind bars. This investigation was part of a wider operation with the National Wildlife Crime Unit, which saw Herron arrested on Wednesday, 7 September, 2022 following intelligence from the National Crime Agency. This is the first time someone has been sentenced in Scotland for cruelty that took place abroad, making it a landmark case. Officers said this was one of the most horrific cases they had dealt with and the material was like nothing they had seen before. Advertisement Detective Sergeant Karen Murray said: 'This was a long and complex investigation which involved a number of organisations including the National Crime Agency (NCA) and the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) and was the first of its kind in the UK. 'Thanks to the work of these organisations Herron will now face the consequences of her actions which led contributed to the cruel torture and immense suffering of a number of innocent animals. 'Through dedicated police work, the investigation team was able to show that Herron was watching and distributing this horrific material and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all who worked on it. 'This was one of the most disturbing and graphic cases we have worked on and we hope this sentence shows that even though the cruelty took place abroad, that these types of crimes will not be tolerated and we will use all the tools at our disposal to hold people accountable.' Advertisement Detective Inspector Mark Harrison from the National Wildlife Crime Unit said: 'This investigation is truly shocking and unsettling. "The people involved are not just motivated by money, this is also about getting some sort of gratification from watching animals being tortured and then sharing those images with others. 'It has been well documented in the media recently what impacts these sorts of online images can have on people, especially young people and there are proven links between those involved in animal cruelty and violence towards people, so we take it very seriously. 'This investigation is part of a larger transnational investigation that the NWCU has been assisting with and the NWCU would like to thank Police Scotland for their hard work and dedication on this case. Advertisement "It shouldn't be underestimated the impact that working on a case like this can have on those involved. 'Wildlife crime can occur in many forms and the NWCU will continue to work with partners from across the world to ensure that we have the expertise, resources, and skills to fight this type of crime however it may occur.' Anyone who has any concerns around this type of behaviour is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101.
The Courier
11 hours ago
- The Courier
Senior SSE manager banned for drunken crash in Perth woman's front garden
A senior manager at power firm SSE has been banned from driving for two years after he drunkenly careered his car into a Perth woman's garden. Peter McKessick was five times the limit when he ploughed his Land Rover Discovery through a hedge in the city's Ettrick Drive. The 54-year-old, who is head of development at the Perth-based energy company, was said to have been drinking excessively the day before, celebrating the end of the football season. He got behind the wheel the following evening, after drinking one more pint, to deliver a vital document to his workplace, his lawyer told Perth Sheriff Court. Sheriff Clair McLachlan told him: 'I'm not sure I entirely accept the explanation given.' McKessick, of Perth, pled guilty to driving with excess alcohol (249mg/ 50) on May 20 last year. Prosecutors accepted his not guilty plea to an allegation of careless driving. Fiscal depute Michael Robertson said: 'At 9pm, a witness was at the rear of her property in Ettrick Drive. 'She heard a loud bang coming from the front of the house.' The woman raced to her front door, where she saw McKessick's car in her garden. 'She observed a male within the vehicle,' Mr Robertson said. 'She could detect and smell alcohol coming from him.' Emergency services were called and McKessick was arrested after failing a roadside breath test. He was taken to Ninewells Hospital, where his blood was taken by doctors and later analysed by police. 'The accused was kept in hospital overnight for observations,' the fiscal depute said. Solicitor William McKay, defending, said: 'Mr McKessick was incredulous at the reading. Obviously, it's a very high one.' He said his client had been drinking at a social event 'around a football match' on May 19. 'He was drinking beer and vodka from 1pm to 2am,' Mr McKay said. The next day, he drink one pint of beer. Mr McKay said: 'At about 9pm, he remembered he wasn't going into the office the next day but he had a document that he required to take to his office.' McKessick got in his car and crashed after travelling a short distance. The solicitor could not explain why the blood-alcohol reading was so high. 'Maybe he has a slow absorption level. He doesn't have a drink problem but he was drinking an awful lot on that particular day.' Mr McKay, who said his client had a 'high-flying' position at SSE, had been driving without incident every day since the crash. Sheriff Clair McLachlan told McKessick: 'This was a worryingly high reading and I'm not sure I entirely accept the explanation given but it does seem to be out of character for you.' McKessick was banned from driving for 24 months and fined £1,000. He was told he can reduce his ban time to 18 months by completing a drink-drive rehabilitation course.
NBC News
13 hours ago
- NBC News
Leaders of 'orgasmic meditation' women's wellness company OneTaste convicted in forced labor trial
NEW YORK — The leaders of a sex-focused women's wellness company that promoted "orgasmic meditation" have been convicted of federal forced labor charges. A Brooklyn jury on Monday found Nicole Daedone, founder of OneTaste Inc., and Rachel Cherwitz, the California-based company's former sales director, guilty after deliberating for less than two days following a five-week trial. The two each face up to 20 years in prison when sentenced later. Prosecutors had argued the two women ran a yearslong scheme that groomed adherents — many of them victims of sexual trauma — to do their bidding. They said Daedone, 57, of New York, and Cherwitz, 44, of California, used economic, sexual and psychological abuse, intimidation and indoctrination to force OneTaste members into sexual acts they found uncomfortable or repulsive, such as having sex with prospective investors or clients. The two told followers the questionable acts were necessary in order to obtain "freedom" and "enlightenment" and demonstrate their commitment to the organization's principles. Prosecutors said OneTaste leaders also didn't pay promised earnings to the members-turned-workers and even forced some of them to take out new credit cards to continue taking the company's courses. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nina Gupta, in her closing statement last week, said the defendants "built a business on the backs" of victims who "gave everything" to them, including "their money, their time, their bodies, their dignity, and ultimately their sanity." "The jury's verdict has unmasked Daedone and Cherwitz for who they truly are: grifters who preyed on vulnerable victims by making empty promises of sexual empowerment and wellness only to manipulate them into performing labor and services for the defendants' benefit," said Joseph Nocella, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. Daedone's defense team cast her as a "ceiling-shattering feminist entrepreneur" who created a unique business around women's sexuality and empowerment. Cherwitz's lawyer, Celia Cohen, argued that the witnesses who testified weren't forced to do anything. When they didn't like the organization anymore or wanted to try other things, she said, they simply left. "No matter what you think about OneTaste and what they were doing, they chose it. They knew what it was about," she said in her closing statement last week. "The fact they are regretting the actions that they took when they were younger is not evidence of a crime." Lawyers for the defendants said their clients maintain their innocence and intend to appeal. "We are deeply disappointed in today's verdict," the lawyers said in a statement Monday. "This case raised numerous novel and complex legal issues that will require review by the Second Circuit." Daedone co-founded OneTaste in San Francisco in 2004 as a sort of self-help commune that viewed female orgasms as key to sexual and psychological wellness and interpersonal connection. A centerpiece was "orgasmic meditation," or "OM," which was carried out by men manually stimulating women in a group setting. The company enjoyed glowing media coverage in the 2010s and quickly opened outposts from Los Angeles to London. Portrayed as a cutting-edge enterprise that prioritized women's sexual pleasure, it generated revenue by providing courses, coaching, OM events, and other sexual practices for a fee. Daedone sold her stake in the company in 2017 for $12 million — a year before OneTaste's marketing and labor practices came under scrutiny. The company's current owners, who have rebranded it the Institute of OM Foundation, have said its work has been misconstrued and the charges against its former executives were unjustified.
