Pennsylvania bus driver accused of restraining 10-year-old to seat with duct tape

DREXEL HILL, Pa. (TCD) -- A 54-year-old school bus driver faces charges after allegedly using duct tape to restrain a 10-year-old child on a bus she was driving earlier this year.

According to a news release from the Delaware County District Attorney's Office, on Wednesday, March 8, Upper Darby Police officers responded to Hillcrest Elementary School to a report of a 10-year-old child assaulted by a bus driver, Juliet Pratt. Video surveillance reportedly showed Pratt restraining the child with duct tape around his ankles and chest even though he was already wearing a safety harness supplied by the school district.

The child reportedly was not seen "trying to get out of his seat or otherwise move around the bus."

Pratt is being charged with unlawful restraint, false imprisonment, endangering the welfare of a child, and assault.

District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer told WPVI-TV that the victim allegedly has Down syndrome, which is why he uses a special harness, but Pratt decided to add "additional illegal criminal restraints."

Pratt reportedly used a seat belt cutter to remove the duct tape when they arrived at the school. This was allegedly not the first time she used this method of restraining the student.

The Upper Darby School District reportedly said, "We are aware of the incident involving a school bus driver and a student. We are cooperating with the local authorities in the investigation of this incident. This is a personnel matter; the individual is no longer driving buses at this time."

MORE:

• Upper Darby Bus Driver Charged With Unlawful Restraint After Using Duct Tape to Restrain a Child - Delaware County District Attorney's Office
• School bus driver accused of duct-taping a child into his seat in Delaware County - WPVI