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Former Colorado School Bus Aide Pleads Guilty to 12 Charges in Assaults on Autistic Students

Sentencing is set for March 18 after a day-of-trial plea in Arapahoe County.

Overview

  • Kiarra Jones, 29, admitted to 10 counts of third-degree assault of an at-risk child and two misdemeanor child-abuse counts, with one felony child-abuse charge dropped under the deal.
  • The plea canceled the planned jury trial; each felony carries up to 18 months in prison, creating a potential 15-year total if sentences run consecutively.
  • Bus surveillance from March 2024 showed a 10-year-old nonverbal boy being struck, and Littleton Public Schools fired Jones on March 19 after a parent reported bruises.
  • Investigators located videos of other incidents involving at least one additional victim, and attorneys for the families say three nonverbal boys with autism were harmed.
  • Families say they will pursue civil action against Littleton Public Schools and the Joshua School, and their attorneys report the U.S. Department of Justice has opened an inquiry into both.