Video shows school bus attack while driver stands by

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The family of a girl attacked on a school bus has sued the Yakima School District, claiming the bus driver failed to intervene and protect the child.

In a surveillance video dated Nov. 9, 2011, the attacker is seen moving toward the bus doors even while the bus is still moving.

Then after the bus stopped, children started to exit. But as the victim moved toward the door, she was pushed back onto the bus by the attacker.

“You hear this loud, excuse my language, but this girl says 'b--ches don't get off,’” said Vito de la Cruz, the girl’s attorney.

The girl, who is going by the initials C.L.G. in this lawsuit, then handed her cellphone to the bus driver for safekeeping as she began to defend herself. De la Cruz said the attacker was at one point the victim’s friend.

"To this day, she is completely dumbfounded as to why she was attacked,” he said.

The video shows the attacker pummeling the victim with at least 20 blows to the head and body. The bus driver is heard saying “You guys, you guys!” but is never seen leaving her seat.

De la Cruz said the girl suffered cuts and bruises, and even three years later, often fears being attacked on the street. KIRO 7 asked de la Cruz why this lawsuit was filed so long after the incident.

“There were attempts early on to resolve this issue with the school district,” he said.

He added that the efforts were unsuccessful. The family then spent time requesting documents for their case.

De la Cruz said police charged the attacker with assault and that the bus driver was dismissed. KIRO 7 asked the Yakima School District for comment.

KIRO also asked about the job description of bus drivers and whether drivers are supposed to handle discipline situations like this. For comparison, KIRO 7 also asked Seattle Public Schools for its bus driver policies. Neither district has yet responded.

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Natasha Chen

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