May 13, 2008 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Legal Issues, Safety, Schoolbus
Another story that has “you never can be too careful” written all over it.
School van driver Israel Santiago accused of raping 12-year-old autistic girl in Brookline, Massachusetts.
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Jeff lives in New York with his wife Jill and two small sons. He is the author of Alex: The Fathering of a Preemie and Alex the Boy: Episodes From a Family’s Life With Autism, and maintains a sit... more
Jill used to write frequently about food, until having kids made writing frequently impossible. She is the author of "Have a Nice Trip," first published in Brain, Child Magazine, which is her resp... more
Jeff Stimpson
Jill Cornfield
I hope he gets the max sentence.
Makes you wonder if there are other victims that are not verbal enough to have said anything. I’m sure he didn’t realize that it’s easy for the parent of an autistic child to tell when something’s wrong. And even if she appeared totally non-verbal to him, she may have been able to communicate what was wrong to her parents.
If something like this happened to my son, I think it might “out” via his behavior being unusual in ways I can’t even think to describe…..but it might not. And that’s where the need for safeguards come in, so very much.
Terrible. I have real reservations with M ever riding a school bus. We had bad things happen in relation to her never being when to get off the bus as I stood there at the stop waiting for her to get off and the bus drove right on past. Other children taking her belongings. Having to fight for an aide on the bus due to her “episodes” and never getting one. Dealing with the issue of the bus is one thing I am glad to be done with. But, lots of kids do need the bus. Something more needs to be done to protect these children.
My kids have never taken the bus, except for a few field trips. Next year I was planning on putting my nonverbal 12 year old on the bus along with his aide.
These past four years I took him to school and the others rode the bus. I thought it would help him since all the kids at the Middle School take the bus to do the same since we would have to find out where the bus drops them off, etc.
I am worried about when aide is not there and need to find out how many (if any) aides are on the bus. I need to have it figured out by his IEP at the end of the month. I could always ask for transportation and then cancel it before school starts, but have to discuss with aide and his hours he would lose.
There is a DVD on amazon called - Riding Cool to School and then several books -
Staying Safe on the School Bus (Safety First) (Paperback)
My School Bus: A Book About School Bus Safety (Feldman, Heather L. My World.) (Hardcover)
Safety on the School Bus (Raatma, Lucia. Safety First.) (Library Binding)
I am going to get a book and maybe the DVD.
Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty?
Why not wait until a lawful verdict has been delivered and THEN start chucking stones? Or not, if it turns out he’s not guilty.
At this point, he’s been charged.
Charges do not guilt.
Evidence will demonstrate guilt if there is enough, and if the case is strong enough.
Or, if it is lacking (or the case is not strong enough), not.
It’s not the public’s place to render any sort of verdict. We don’t get to see what the trial judge, the jury and the counsels on both sides see, and so we have not got way enough evidence to decide on guilt.
I hate to see intelligence byepassed purely because of emotion. Yes, a nasty offence is alleged. but it is still only an allegation: it is NOT a conviction.
Can we please still remember that?
Wait for the court’s verdict. Then you get to say what you like. Until then, this sort of commentary - pronouncing him guilty before a trial has even been held - is actually going to prejudice the case.
(revising forensic psychology in order to be able to study for the MSc, once I’ve earned enough money to do that)
Not being angry. Just upset that justice is not going to be served properly int his case if people prejudge it. Which is exactly what is happening.
Wait for the trial to be over.
Please.
The people who contribute to this blog are intelligent people … so please, let’s use that intelligence and let justice take its course.
Thanks.