A Polk County school bus driver and attendant were arrested after onboard video allegedly showed them repeatedly spraying a 15-year-old student with disabilities with disinfectant cleaner to “teach him a lesson.”
According to arrest affidavits provided to School Transportation News, Jeffrey Larson, 65, and William “Cody” Roberts, 32, were each charged with one count of aggravated child abuse, a first-degree felony. Both were taken to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Processing Center without incident.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office began investigating Sept. 22. Maggie Reynolds, the Karen M. Siegel Academy principal, noticed an increase in student behavior referrals involving bus No. 1611 and requested video footage from the Polk County School Board, the affidavits state.
The school bus transported three students and was staffed by Larson and Roberts. Authorities described the 15-year-old student, who was not identified at this writing, as having an intellectual disability, functioning at a toddler-level mental capacity, and being unable to speak for himself.
Affidavit Provides Scope of Child Abuse Allegations
Video from Aug. 31 allegedly showed Larson spraying liquid directly in front of the student before spraying his face, torso and legs. A second clip allegedly showed Larson leave the driver’s seat, approach the student, and spray his face and the front of his body while saying, “Stop spitting.” The student then rubbed his face after Larson walked away, according to the affidavit.
During a second incident recorded on Sept. 2, Roberts allegedly looked toward an onboard camera, pulled a spray bottle from beside his body, and sprayed a stream of liquid onto the student’s back while the teenager was secured in his seat.
Investigators said they also heard someone say, “I’ll put a gag in your mouth if you don’t knock it off,” and “You’re gonna regret this.” Authorities could not determine who made the statements.
Roberts told investigators his first day working as the attendant on bus No. 1611 was Aug. 11. He admitted spraying the student in the face with a disinfectant cleaner “no more than five times” and said it was done to “teach him a lesson,” according to the affidavit.
The affidavit alleges that Roberts said he witnessed Larson spray the student in the face twice for the same reason. He acknowledged that their actions were wrong because the disinfectant was an irritant that could adversely affect the student’s health and because the student did not understand their commands due to his disability and could not speak for himself.
Larson told investigators there were no spray bottles containing water aboard the bus but that it carried three bottles containing different cleaning products. He then invoked his right to an attorney.
Deputies obtained a search warrant and recovered a bottle labeled “Morning Fresh, Neutral Disinfectant Cleaner.” Its warning label said the product should be kept away from children and could cause eye and skin irritation.
Polk County Public Schools told School Transportation News that Larson and Roberts also served Boswell Elementary and Tenoroc High School.
“PCPS does not tolerate this kind of behavior from our employees, and these two individuals will no longer have any involvement with our district,” the district stated. “We are cooperating fully with law enforcement.”
The district did not clarify whether the men were terminated or resigned. The affidavits did not state whether the student received medical treatment or whether investigators had identified other alleged victims.
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