child abuse on school bus

**marysmerrycats** · 05-07-2003, 01:36 PM

can you believe this?

MILWAUKEE (May 7) - A school bus driver has been charged with abuse after a 9-year-old with Down syndrome secretly taped the driver hitting him while trying to make him behave.

Brian Duchow, 28, was charged Tuesday with felony abuse of a child and misdemeanor disorderly conduct, carrying a possible maximum penalty of 6 1/2 years in prison.

``I never, ever expected to hear what we heard on the tape,'' said Rosemary Mutulo, whose son Jacob has Down syndrome. ``It made me sick to my stomach to hear this man threatening my child.''

The Mutulos put a tape recorder in Jacob's backpack because they wanted to know more about reports that he was misbehaving on the bus. They brought the tape, recorded April 29, to officials' attention and police arrested Duchow over the weekend.

Duchow admitted slapping the child in anger and hitting him in the leg, according to the criminal complaint. The complaint notes that Jacob also has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

His parents played some of the tape for reporters at a news conference Tuesday afternoon.

The driver can be heard shouting at Jacob because the boy is making bus engine noises, yelling and fiddling with his seat belt. At one point, the driver stops the bus and moves toward the boy, followed by what sounds like a hand slapping clothing. The driver can be heard threatening to break the boy's arm and beat him, and warns, ``Stop before I beat the living hell out of you.''

Jacob, attends the Academy of Accelerated Learning, a Milwaukee public school.

05/07/03 04:12 EDT

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**shais_mom** · 05-07-2003, 01:39 PM

That is disgusting, I hope he loses his job and worse!

**moosmom** · 05-07-2003, 02:02 PM

That IS disgusting! The parents trusted this man with the care and transportation of their special needs child and this is how he treats him? I agree...he should be prosecuted and fired!!

**HoRsELUvR** · 05-07-2003, 03:29 PM

That is just awful!

I hope that the kid is ok and that the bus driver loses his job.

**Desert Arabian** · 05-07-2003, 03:31 PM

I read that story in the paper, we get the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. What a *beeeep*, I think I know where he is going.

To see pictures of the boy, his parents, and the bus driver CLICK HERE Updated story too

**kingrattus** · 05-08-2003, 12:00 AM

oh my god thats horrible!!!
I have taken the school bus with children like that & the bus driver just ignored them, unless one went a little crazy, then the driver would stop & calm the child down & continue driving. I've grown up with mentally challenged people & I have never once seen anyone get angry at one. My dad works at RRC (a permant hospital for mentaly challenged people).. The worst I've seen is that u have to talk/yell (not crazy yelling) fermly to some of them, thats the only way they understand & they usually go away to stop pooking at me.

**NoahsMommy** · 05-08-2003, 12:06 AM

Ick....what a poor excuse for a human.....

**lovemyshiba** · 05-08-2003, 08:11 AM

What a creep

I hope he gets fired, and in a lot of trouble. Nothing can equal what he did to the child, but I hope he pays.

**anna_66** · 05-08-2003, 08:29 AM

I agree with what the mom said, that the busses should have videos on board, then the parents would know exactly what is going on, on the bus!
I think if I were Jacobs parents, I would "Beat the living hell" out of the driver

**Dakota's Mommy** · 05-08-2003, 01:03 PM

This is just terrible! I heard a little about this last night, it's so sad and disgusting that some guy actually did this to a handicapped child!

**2kitties** · 05-08-2003, 02:08 PM

I think it's horrible and he should never have done something like that.
But, I also am sure there are two sides to every story and the media has only reported the one side. I'd be interested to hear the other side before passing complete judgement.

**PayItForward** · 05-08-2003, 04:38 PM

Poor child. I hope that driver is dealt with.

**Uabassoon** · 05-08-2003, 04:39 PM

I hope he goes to prison and gets slapped by someone bigger and stronger than him.

**Kerri Greyson** · 05-08-2003, 04:48 PM

wow, that is horrible.

My sister and I have had a simular problem. we use to go to a "Christian" school. We never did like the bus driver, but we didn't think he was this gross: He kept on pushing me down when I was only 5, and once he locked me in the bus because didn't think it was my stop. He wouldn't even let me off when my other older siblings told him to let me off. I guess he finally got sick of my complaining and let me off!