Parents: Video shows bus attendant attacking girl

NEW YORK (FOX5NY) - Police have arrested a bus attendant after a video emerged showing him apparently mistreating a special-needs child.

Beleck Valmont, who works for Leesel Transportation Corp. in the Bronx, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child.

The child's parents believe their little girl has been tormented on the bus since school started in September. Alex and Shaheen Knox said they felt anguish when they saw the video of the attendant physically assaulting India, 13, who is developmentally disabled.

India has the mental capacity of a 5-year-old girl and has a limited vocabulary. She was on the bus with other disabled children and singing on her way to school from Brooklyn to Manhattan when the bus attendant grabbed her by the back of the neck and thrust her head into the seat in front of them.

In the video, India keeps repeating, "I'll calm down, stop."

Another bus attendant recorded the attack and gave the video to school officials and the police.

Shaheen Knox said India was traumatized and is having nightmares. The family is suing the bus company, the bus attendant, and the city's Department of Education.

Leesel Transportation declined to comment.

In a statement, the Education Department called this a "deeply disturbing allegation."

"The attendant was immediately suspended and the family was provided with a new bus route," DOE spokesperson Miranda Barbot said in the statement. "Our students must be safe on our school buses, and anything less is unacceptable."