HOWELL TOWNSHIP, N.J. — The parents of a nonverbal autistic boy have filed a lawsuit against the Howell Township School District, private bus company First Student, and others, alleging that a bus aide struck their son with a trash-grabber tool, leaving him injured and in tears.
The lawsuit, filed on Jan. 3, claims the incident occurred on March 13, 2024, while the boy was on the bus home from school. Video footage from the bus reportedly captured the aide, identified as Quinton Schwartz, hitting the child, causing a cut and leaving him bleeding and sobbing when he was dropped off.
The suit further alleges that Schwartz and the bus driver falsely reported that the boy had been involved in an altercation with another student on the bus. It also accuses the school district of failing to protect the child and retaliating against him after the incident.
Schwartz has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child, with the case currently pending in Monmouth County Superior Court, according to state court records.
Neither the Howell Township School District nor First Student, which frequently provides specialized busing services for school districts, has commented on the allegations or the pending litigation.