FORT COLLINS, Colo. — A mother in Fort Collins said her child is part of a growing list of children physically and verbally abused by a school district staff member.
Tyler Zanella worked as a paraprofessional for the Poudre School District. He now faces dozens of charges of assault and child abuse, accused of abusing at least 6 children on the bus. Police said all of these children are considered at-risk, due to disabilities.
“After Memorial Day the police showed up at my house and told me that my son has been a victim of abuse on the bus,” said Priscilla, who requested 9NEWS not share her last name, or her child’s name, to protect him.
“When I went to see the footage, that’s when I realized what they meant when they said he was assaulted on the bus,” Priscilla said.
Priscilla’s son is eight years old. She said he was vulnerable before he ever stepped foot on the bus.
“He’s non-verbal, on the autism spectrum,” she said. “He’s pretty wild when he plays – he falls, he trips. He had random bruises showing up, now when I look back to it. I can just imagine where they came from. But never really questioned him being hurt at the one place we send him and think he’s being taken care of.”
The Poudre School District said, per district policy, they invited parents of student victims to review footage of what happened on the bus with Zanella.
“It showed Tyler hitting my son in the head, punching him the arm, tripping him, verbally abusing him, telling him he’s a bad kid, call him cuss words,” Priscilla said.
“First of all, I’m fueled with anger about what happened, because every parent wants to protect their child, of course,” she said.
Last week, prosecutors added more charges to Zanella’s case. Priscilla joined other families at a hearing for the suspect this week. And, like other moms, she’s now working with an attorney.
“I never thought it would be somebody who’s supposed to be protecting him, take care of him [who would be] hurting him,” she said.
Because her son is non-verbal, Priscilla said they can't talk about how he’s feeling right now. She said she has noticed some behavioral changes in her child recently, but she said he’s also his “happy little self,” and still comfortable riding the bus to his school programs this summer.
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