Seventy-two-year-old Donald Pride of Browns Mills was charged with aggravated assault for the incident on Monday afternoon.
[Ads /]
According to police, the Pemberton Township School District reported an altercation between Pride and a 9-year-old boy on the bus.
An employee who did not want to be identified says district buses and vans have cameras, and that the 9-year-old could be seen gasping for air.
Sources tell Action News that Pride grabbed the boy by the neck with both hands and pushed him into a seat.
Pride was being held in the Burlington County Jail pending a court appearance, Pemberton Township police said.
[Ads /]
The school district released the following statement:
On Monday, August 1st, Pemberton Township Schools learned of an alleged altercation on a school bus involving a Pemberton Township Schools bus aide. We immediately launched an internal investigation, contacted the appropriate authorities, and placed the employee on administrative leave pending further investigation.
Pemberton Township Schools takes allegations of inappropriate staff conduct very seriously, and remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of all our students.
As it is a personnel matter, we are prohibited from discussing any further details.