Two parents from Indiana, identified as Donquarious Ridley, 27, and Raven Barner, 25, were arrested following accusations of assaulting several children on a school bus. The pair were charged on Monday with two counts of battery on a child under the age of 14. Ridley is also facing an additional charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
The incident took place on the morning of October 31 at an apartment complex in Greenwood. Eyewitnesses reported seeing Ridley and Barner board a school bus and start yelling at the children onboard. Based on a child’s account, the couple was upset, believing their son was a victim of bullying.
Barner, the boy’s stepmother, reportedly initiated a verbal confrontation with two children. She threatened one child with physical violence and implied her stepson would also attack him. Video footage from the bus corroborated these claims, showing Barner encouraging her stepson to engage in a physical altercation.
The situation took a turn for the worse when the bus driver stepped in, positioning herself between Barner and one of the children. Barner allegedly hit two children, one unintentionally. Ridley was also captured on the video instructing his son to engage with the boy Barner had hit. Ridley’s son complied, and Ridley allegedly threw the boy to the ground, allowing his son to hit the boy repeatedly. Ridley then reportedly pushed another child into a bus seat with enough force to hit the side of the bus.
Police apprehended Ridley and Barner during a traffic stop. Both parents were arrested and transported to the Johnson County Jail. Ridley was charged with two counts of battery on a child under the age of 14 and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Barner was charged with two counts of battery on a child under the age of 14. As of Tuesday, neither parent was listed on the Johnson County Jail roster.
Ridley is scheduled to appear in court on December 1, while Barner’s court date is set for December 4.