A New Jersey school bus aide has been found guilty of child endangerment in the death of a six-year-old disabled girl who was strangled to death by the harness strapping her into her wheelchair.
Amanda Davila, 27, faces up to 10 years in prison for child endangerment. However, she was acquitted of aggravated and reckless manslaughter---charges that would have carried up to 20 years in prison.
The charges stem from the death of six-year-old Fajr Williams in July 2023. The jury reached a split verdict after about two days of deliberation, according to The New York Times.
What Led to the Charges?
Williams was nonverbal and could not walk. She was also suffering from Emanuel Syndrome, a rare chromosomal condition that leads to developmental delays, severe intellectual disability, distinctive facial features (such as small jaw and ear anomalies), and often heart or kidney abnormalities.
The six-year-old child was riding the bus to a summertime education program when she slid down her wheelchair after the vehicle hit a bump on the road. She was then strangled by the harness. The jury was shown a video of the incident.
During the incident, Davila remained sitting in the seat in front of Fajr. She was looking at her phone, and she was also wearing headphones for the entirety of the trip to school, which took about half an hour.
The child was unresponsive by the time the bus arrived at school. She was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors pronounced her dead, NBC New York reported.
How Did Davila's Side Respond to the Charges?
The bus aide's attorney blamed the child's older sister for putting the wheelchair harness. She also claimed she had never been properly trained on how to put a wheelchair and strap it onto the bus.
Prosecutors later showed evidence that Davila had undergone monthly training sessions. They also showed that the aide had sent 34 text messages and had been scrolling through Instagram when she was supposed to be watching the special needs children on the bus.
Davila later told jurors that she was remorseful over Fajr's death and that she had been suffering from PTSD from the incident, per CBS News.
