Inset from left to right: Tonya Rice-Constant and Juanita Wright (Hillsborough County Sheriff”s Office). Background: A woman alleged to be Juanita Wright touching a child on a Hillsborough County Public Schools bus (Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office).
In Florida, two employees working within the public school system have been taken into custody following an incident where one allegedly struck a child on a school bus while the other reportedly watched and laughed, as per authorities.
Juanita Wright, age 79, faces 14 charges of child abuse, while Tonya Rice-Constant, 62, has been accused of failing to report the abuse, according to a statement from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office released on Friday.
“The severity of this case goes well beyond typical abuse,” stated Sheriff Chad Chronister. “It exposes a shocking level of cruelty,” he added in his announcement.
The sheriff’s office explained that the “child abuse investigation” was initiated after a report was made about a school bus aide allegedly hitting a 10-year-old boy on a Hillsborough County Public Schools bus stationed at Caminiti Exceptional School.
According to its website, the school caters to students with various exceptional needs, including autism spectrum disorders and emotional disabilities, among others.
The young boy involved in this incident has been diagnosed with autism and ADHD, and is described as “minimally verbal,” the law enforcement agency noted.
Four days later, detectives reviewed video footage from inside the bus allegedly showing Wright “repeatedly abusing the child.”
Wright was the bus monitor, while Rice-Constant, the driver, can be seen “laughing during the abuse,” authorities said.
The jarring video shows a woman alleged to be Wright hitting the boy on top of his head and on the back of his head as he sits, pulling him by his hair, and wrestling a backpack away from him. Rice-Constant appears to be looking in her rearview mirror in delight, smiling, and chuckling.
On Dec. 23, investigators found additional video footage and “identified thirteen additional days between October 2, 2025, and November 14, 2025, in which Wright was observed abusing the child.” The sheriff’s office noted on Friday that the investigation was active.
“A defenseless child was physically abused by someone entrusted with their care, while another adult failed to intervene and instead laughed,” Chronister added in his statement. “It is an inexcusable betrayal of trust and a profound lack of humanity when adults who are supposed to protect a child not only inflict harm, but also allow it to happen. In Hillsborough County, this kind of conduct will be met with the full force of the law.”
Wright reportedly defended herself, saying she was being “jokeful” and “playful” with the 10-year-old boy, Tampa-based NBC affiliate WFLA reported.
The Hillsborough County School District said in a statement that they are “deeply disturbed by the actions that led to the arrest of a bus attendant and driver for the abuse of a child while in their care,” adding that the bus aide was hired in 2012 and “removed from duty” in November “as we were made aware of the allegations” and then fired.
“The driver retired from the district in November when the investigation began,” the school district added in the statement shared by the local outlet. “The safety and well-being of our students is our top priority. We train our transportation team members on safety, student care, and their responsibility to report concerns immediately. When anyone violates that trust, we take swift action and will continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement as this matter moves forward.”
