A school bus aide in New York has been accused of pushing, slamming, restraining and sitting on special needs students, police have said.
Devone Medlock, 37, was working as an aide on a bus transporting pupils at Grand Avenue School, an elementary school in Baldwin, Long Island, when the alleged abuse took place on 13 January 2026, according to Nassau County Police.
Medlock, who was employed by First Student bus company, is said to have become “physically and verbally abusive with multiple children who are special needs students”. Police described his behaviour as “violent”, including pushing, slamming, restraining and sitting on the children. It was not immediately clear whether any of the children were treated for injuries.
Medlock was charged with six counts of third-degree assault, six counts of third-degree menacing and six counts of endangering the welfare of a child. He was arrested at his home in Amityville on Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to all charges at the First District Court in Hempstead on Saturday, where he was released without bail.
A spokesperson for First Student said Medlock no longer works for the company, adding: “At First Student, we take our responsibility to provide a safe environment for students on our school buses very seriously. The behaviour captured in the video is unacceptable and is not tolerated.”
Uniondale School District Superintendent Monique Darrisaw-Akil said the district alerted local law enforcement immediately after learning of the “disturbing incident” in January. “The safety and well-being of our students is our highest priority,” she said. “We are committed to ensuring any individual or individuals responsible for any abusive or harmful behaviour towards any of our students are held accountable.”
