Police: Bus aide charged in assault of Fairfield teen with autism

A Bridgeport bus aide is charged with assaulting a 15-year-old Fairfield boy with autism, police say.

News 12 Staff

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Jan 25, 2019, 11:06 AM

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Updated 1,918 days ago

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A Bridgeport bus aide charged with assaulting a 15-year-old Fairfield boy with autism appeared in court Friday.

Joseph Jean-Felix, 68, of Bridgeport has been charged with five counts of assault of an intellectually disabled person, five counts of unlawful restraint in the first degree, and five counts of risk of injury to a minor.

The parent of the teen reported that on Nov. 19, 2018, his son returned from school with distinct injuries to his arm.

Police say after reviewing surveillance video from inside the bus, it was determined that the teen’s injuries were consistent with actions taken by the transportation aide over a period of time.

They say Jean-Felix used heavy duty twist ties to restrain the boy's arms. Police say the ties were provided by the boy's parents which were intended to be used to tie around his seatbelt so he would not unfasten it.

Police say the incidents happened five times between Nov. 19 and Dec. 6 of last year.

Jean-Felix was arrested on a warrant outside of his home on Jan. 18.

Chet Doheny, President of the Connecticut Transportation Solutions where Jean-Felix was employed wrote in a statement,

"The employee involved in this incident has been terminated based on information obtained from both an internal and external investigation, and Connecticut Transportation Solutions is willingly cooperating with the Fairfield Police Department’s criminal investigation into the matter. Our company has a culture of responsiveness and a commitment to the safety of the children in our care, we have policies and procedures in place to ensure that safety, and we take very seriously the trust their parents place in us."

He is due back in court on Feb. 25.