Sheriff Darren Campbell stated an Iredell County teacher’s assistant/bus driver with Iredell Statesville Schools is facing a Misdemeanor Child Abuse charge after an incident that occurred Wednesday morning in eastern Iredell County. Deputies with the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call at around 8:00 am in the Bell Farm Road area.
The caller reported to Deputies that an unknown child had knocked on their door and was saying the school bus driver had forced him to get off the bus for misbehaving. The child asked the caller if they could call his mother to come get him. Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the home where they located the child, who was turned over to family members. It was learned from the Sheriff’s Office investigation that the child had gotten on the bus and was on his way to school. At some point during the bus ride on Bell Farm Road, the bus driver made the child get off the bus on Skyland Drive, which is off Bell Farm Road. The child then walked to the nearest house and asked the resident to call his mother. The 12 year old child is a student at East Iredell Middle School.
The bus driver was identified as Maria Victoria Sanchez, 43, of Tarrington Drive, Statesville and is currently employed by Iredell Statesville Schools.
Maria Sanchez was arrested and charged with Misdemeanor Child Abuse. Sanchez is currently held in the Iredell County Detention Center under a $2,000.00 secured bond and has a May 1st court date.