A 57-year-old Collier County school bus driver was arrested and charged with child neglect Friday after a child was choked unconscious by another child on the bus she was driving.
Detectives say Irena Fulton, 610 19th St. N.W., Golden Gate Estates, failed to provide any assistance to the victim during or after the Oct. 15 attack.
According to Collier County Sheriff’s Office reports, Fulton was driving a Collier County Schools bus from the Boys and Girls Club of Collier County, 7500 Davis Blvd., to Golden Gate Elementary-Intermediate School, 5055 20th Place S.W., when the suspect attacked the victim around 7 p.m.
The victim told detectives that the suspect, unprovoked, had put him in a choke hold and choked him unconscious while on the bus, reports said.
At no time did Fulton stop the bus to ask if there was a problem, reports said.
Detectives say another student assisted the victim off the bus and onto the sidewalk. At no time did Fulton get off the bus to inquire about the seriousness of the injury to the victim.
Fulton did not call 911 or call for medical assistance, reports said. The bus depot staff learned of the incident after the school called and notified them of it the next day, reports said.
Detectives arrested the juvenile suspect in the attack on a felony charge of battery on Oct. 17.
