Mother says daughter fondled by male students on school bus

Laidlaw Transit Inc. and Collinsville Community Unit School District 10 are being sued by a woman who claims her daughter was fondled by male students on a school bus last year.

The suit, brought under fictitious "Jane Doe" names, alleges the minor plaintiff was on her way home from Collinsville Intermediate School on Bus 89 on Oct. 5 and Oct. 9, 2007, when she was "fondled and otherwise touched inappropriately."

Jane Doe claims Laidlaw Transit, now known as First Transit, Inc., failed to adequately supervise student activities on the bus "when it knew or in the exercise of reasonable care should have known that the touching caused harm to plaintiff's minor," the complaint states.

She also claims the incidents occurred after the girl exited the bus.

According to the suit filed July 30 in Madison County Circuit Court, the school district, which was in charge of issuing discipline for students riding on buses, "willfully" failed to adequately supervise student activity on the bus.

Doe claims her daughter has suffered permanent pain, mental anguish, disability and has incurred and become liable for medical expenses. She is seeking in excess of $150,000 in damages.

John Hustava of Collinsville represents the plaintiffs.

08 L 679