Parents of Hickman Mills student beaten at bus stop speak out

Michael Taylor is seeking answers from the Hickman Mills School District regarding the events that occurred on November 16th concerning his son.

In an interview with FOX4 on Tuesday, Taylor expressed her frustration with the district’s lack of cooperation with the police officers, stating, “I’m more upset at the point if the district is not cooperating with the police officers because I feel that someone should have been arrested. Something should have happened by now.”

According to Taylor, his son in sixth grade suffered from bruised ribs and a swollen face following a physical altercation that took place in the afternoon at Ruskin Way and Palmer Avenue, minutes before 4 p.m.

Taylor expressed deep concern for his 12-year-old son, stating, “He’s really shaken up. It’s heartbreaking to see him constantly looking around, hesitant to go outside. No child should have to live in fear like this.”

According to Taylor, his son and another child were once friends, but they had a disagreement that escalated into a physical altercation. As a result, the other child’s parents became involved and got into a fight with Taylor’s son on November 16th.

“A group of adult suspects allegedly assaulted a juvenile victim on a school bus,” revealed Sgt. Jacob Becchina from the Kansas City Police Department the next day.

According to Taylor, his son made a bold move on November 16th by jumping out of a window in an attempt to escape from the adults who had boarded the bus.

Taylor expressed concern about the potential consequences of the situation, stating, “Imagine if he had fallen on broken glass? What if he had tried to defend himself and ended up getting stabbed or shot? It’s moments like these that highlight how even a minor error can have fatal outcomes.”

FOX4 contacted Hickman Mills Schools in order to request an interview with Superintendent Yaw Obeng.

“We apologize, but he is currently unavailable and unable to be reached,” responded Justin Robinson, Director of Communications & Community Engagement at Hickman Mills, when asked for an interview.

The district has outsourced its bus service to First Student, who declined to comment when approached by FOX4 on Tuesday.

First Student emphasizes the utmost importance it places on the safety of its employees and the students it transports. According to First Student Proposal Manager and Communications Specialist, Brenna Rudisill, the company takes this responsibility very seriously. She stated in a Nov. 17 press release to FOX4, “At First Student, the safety of our employees and the students we transport is a responsibility we take very seriously.”

First Student has acknowledged the incident that occurred on the bus and expresses deep concern. They are actively cooperating with law enforcement and the District, while also conducting an internal review of the incident. Since it is an ongoing investigation, they are unable to provide any further comments at this time.

Becchina confirmed to FOX4 on Tuesday that the investigation by the KCPD is still ongoing.

He stated that once they finish, they will send the information to prosecutors to decide if there are any potential charges.

Taylor mentioned that his son has returned to school.