Three families whose autistic, non-verbal kids were abused by an aide on Littleton Public School buses between 2023 and 2024 reached a $3.85 million settlement with the district.
Lawyers representing the families say multiple children experienced “extreme physical and mental abuse” by bus aide Kiarra Jones. Jones pleaded guilty to several counts of assault on an at-risk minor and child abuse earlier this month in Arapahoe County court.
The Littleton Public Schools board of education approved the settlement agreement Thursday. The district said on Friday it would be covered by insurance and that there will be “no adverse impact” on the district’s classrooms.
Jessica Vestal, whose son was among those abused by Jones, said in an email that meaningful change “does not happen in a vacuum.”
“It requires parents who are willing to advocate fiercely for their children, and it requires leadership willing to acknowledge those voices,” she said. “When families are heard instead of minimized and when concerns are met with action instead of defensiveness, real progress becomes possible.”
After Jones was arrested, the school district changed its policies to review school bus surveillance video each week and retain videos for 30 days. LPS Superintendent Todd Lambert said it was among a host of things the school district is doing to improve safety.
“Parents put a tremendous amount of trust in us every day,” said Lambert, in a note sent out to parents. “LPS aspires to be a state leader in safeguarding the children we serve. We will continue to look for ways to strengthen our practices, to communicate transparently with you and to do everything in our power to ensure the safety, dignity and well-being of every student.”
The families, represented by attorneys at the Rathod Mohamedbhai law firm, have an ongoing lawsuit against The Joshua School, which is where their kids were being transported to on the bus. The school caters to kids with special needs and the families say the school didn’t take enough actions to alert the parents or police of injuries from the bus when the kids got to school.
The abuse took place between September 2023 and March 2024.
“For these families, the bus ride was supposed to be a bridge between home and school. Instead, it became a place of fear and harm,” said their attorney, Ciara Anderson. “Their children, already vulnerable, endured abuse they could not report, could not describe, and could not escape. No parent should have to wonder if their children will come home from school hurt by the very people entrusted to care for them.”
