A school bus driver in Chicago has been arrested after she was accused of slapping a 4-year-old child with special needs.
According to Orland Park Police, 63-year-old Linda Bell is facing at least one felony count of aggravated battery to a child after the incident, which she was arrested for on Friday.
Authorities say surveillance footage from the Sunrise Southwest bus showed Bell helping the child put their shoe on before slapping the scared student right across the face.
“I’m sorry for hitting you,” Bell allegedly said to the child immediately after the incident, a teacher who witnessed the painful slap told police later.
According to police, the smack left the child with red marks all over their cheeks.
Authorities were notified about the incident after the teacher noticed that the child was “unusually upset and crying.”
The teacher quickly informed the principal about the child’s shocking change in behavior and investigators were soon called to the scene.
In the audio of the video from the bus, police say the child can be heard screaming and crying after being viciously slapped by Bell.
On Friday, police officers showed up to Bell’s apartment and arrested her for striking a defenseless child in her care.
