A 7-year-old non-verbal boy was repeatedly assaulted on a Jennings County school bus over the course of three days while two school employees sat just feet away and did nothing. That sentence should be impossible to write, and yet it is the reality this family has lived with for more than a year. Now, after the assailant has been convicted on 12 counts of sexual abuse and rape, Wagner Reese is filing a federal lawsuit to hold Jennings County School Corporation accountable.
Wagner Reese, LLP has been representing this family since the tort claim was first filed against the school corporation, alleging gross negligence, civil rights violations, and permanent injuries to the child. Our firm has long stood alongside Indiana families when institutions fail to protect children, and our commitment to victims of sexual abuse drives every decision we make in this case.
What Happened
In April 2023, a 15-year-old male sexually assaulted the 7-year-old victim multiple times on a Jennings County School Corporation special transportation bus. Bus video footage reportedly captured the assaults. Neither the driver nor the bus monitor aide intervened. The North Vernon Police Department confirmed the suspect was taken into juvenile detention and charged with rape.
Wagner Reese attorney Laura Swafford said at the time that the child was “helplessly left unmonitored by two school employees who were on the bus and charged with caring for his safety,” adding, “The family entrusted the school to protect their son by monitoring activity on the bus. The school system breached this trust and clearly failed in its responsibility.”
Following the assault, Jennings County School Corporation announced safety measures including added supervisors on special transportation buses, reduced student counts, and increased use of video monitoring. While those steps are noted, the family’s goal remains clear: ensure this never happens to another child, and ensure the institution is held fully accountable.
The Fight Continues
According to RAINN, every nine minutes in the United States, a child is sexually assaulted. Non-verbal children with disabilities are among the most vulnerable, depending entirely on the adults around them to keep them safe. When school systems fail to protect Indiana children in their care, families deserve legal recourse, and they deserve a firm that will fight with everything it has.
Wagner Reese, LLP
Founded in 1997 by Stephen M. Wagner and Jason R. Reese, our firm has spent more than 25 years pursuing justice for Indiana injury victims. Our attorneys carry 150+ years of combined experience and have been recognized by Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers in America, and the National Trial Lawyers organization. Attorney Laura Swafford, who is leading this case, is an Indiana Super Lawyers Rising Star (2019–2024) and a Top 40 Under 40 Civil Plaintiffs Lawyer. We take on the cases that matter most, and we see every client as a person, not a number.
If your child has been harmed or abused in a school setting, Wagner Reese is here to help. We work on a contingency basis, meaning there is no cost to you unless we win. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.
