CMS student allegedly assaulted on school bus by aide

CHARLOTTE, NC — A CMS bus ride left a 13-year-old boy with autism scratched and bruised. His parents claim the boys school aide did it to him.

RJ WIlliams’ parents said it happened last month after the nonverbal autistic teen was allegedly assaulted on his bus ride home.

Tawana Chealey tells WCCB, on January 9th, her son came home with a lump and cut above his eye, and bruising underneath. Chealey said Metro School administrators went back and checked the bus video. They found two aides assaulted the child she said.

“I couldn’t watch it,” explained Chealey.

Chealey couldn’t but RJ’s stepfather, Cedrick Chealey, did.

“He would walk over and smack him on his in his face or on his head. None of them were body shots or, you know, calming him down. It was more yelling,” Chealey said of the video he saw.

Cedrick Chealey tells WCCB that continued off and on for about 20 minutes until another aide on the bus stepped in and put RJ in a chokehold.

RJ’s parents say the incident was never reported to them. A police report was filed and an investigation was started. That’s when they found out this may not have been the first time their child was abused.

“The charges were supposed to be happening soon, sooner than now, but someone reported this second incident they found,” said Tawana Chealey.

Tawana and Cedrick tell us they have suspected abuse for years but never had proof until now. That’s why they have pulled their son out of school. Tawana was forced to quit her job to care for her child full-time and plan on moving to Georgia to be closer with family.

“He would never ride another bus. It’s just broken trust with the district,”

No charges have been filed against the school aides at this time which is why we haven’t named them in out report.

RJ’s parents say the district told them one of the aides is no longer with the school but did not say if she was fired. We reached out to CMS to find out if she is still employed, they forwarded us to a public records request.

The family started a GoFundMe to help with costs for RJ’s care.