Former School Bus Driver, Bus Aides Charged With Abusing Autistic Child

RIVERHEAD, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) - A former school bus driver and two former bus aides face charges for allegedly abusing a Long Island child with autism.

Bus driver James LaGreca, 81, and aides Auga Roberts and Anneris Contreras were arraigned Tuesday in Suffolk County criminal court for what the District Attorney says was the depraved torment of a nine-year-old boy with special needs aboard a school bus to and from his school.

"Surveillance video from inside the school bus shows the defendants, on multiple occasions, tormenting and physically abusing the victim," Suffolk DA Timothy Sini said.

The non-verbal child, who attends the Masera Learning Center in West Islip, reportedly threw his shoe. Sini says LaGreca then threw the shoe back at the child. In court, his attorneys described LaGreca as a loving family man who has his own grandchild with special needs that he helped raise.

The veteran maintains his innocence.

"This is a solid American and unfortunately there was an incident on the bus and he was implicated in this, but he feels horrible about this," defense attorney James Vlahadamis said.

Vlahadamis cited prior difficulties in handling the child, to which Sini bristled.

"If you can't do the job, don't take the job," he said. "Bending a child's toes back while he screams in pain, so the extent that their jobs were difficult... spare me."

The defendants face a variety of charges related to endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person. Click here to read the indictment.

Prosecutors say the driver and aides worked for East End Bus Lines in Medford - they've since been fired. The Longwood School District, which contacted police when it learned of the allegations, declined comment citing privacy laws.