PANAMA CITY, Fla. — Two Bay District Schools staff members are facing child abuse and neglect charges in connection with incidents that allegedly occurred on a school bus.
According to a news release, the Panama City Police Department received an alert on Nov. 22 from the state Department of Children and Families (DCF) regarding potential acts of child abuse on the bus, News Herald reports. Investigators worked with Bay District Schools officials to obtain video footage from the bus, and four children were subsequently identified as victims of neglect and abuse. Three of those students have “significant developmental challenges,” the release says.
Staff at the Children’s Advocacy Center then conducted interviews with two of the children on Nov. 27 and found their statements aligned with evidence from the case. The accused staff members have been identified as Sylinda Goodman, a paraprofessional, and Althea Russell, a bus driver.
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“The investigation revealed several instances of Goodman conducting several specific acts of child abuse toward the children to include hitting, pinching, and pushing them,” the release describes. “There was also at least one instance of her directing a child to strike another child victim who was found to be autistic. Detectives identified that Russell was aware of these acts of abuse at the time, and made no effort to intervene, protect, or report Goodman’s actions to DCF or law enforcement.”
Goodman was arrested Wednesday and charged with four counts, including child abuse and simple assault with the intentional threat to commit violence. She is being held in the Bay County Jail on a $10,000 bond, according to WDHN. Russell has been charged with child neglect for failing to intervene or report the alleged abuse.
Bay District Schools said both employees have been placed on leave pending hearings with the superintendent. Anyone with additional information about the case is asked to call the Panama City Police Department at 850-872-3100.
