Video Of Autistic Child's Attack Posted On Facebook
CECIL COUNTY, Md. (WJZ) -- An autistic child was beaten at a school bus stop while a crowd of children watch---and the whole thing was captured on camera.
Meghan McCorkell spoke to the victim and his family.
Sixth-grader Kaleb Kula says this isn't the first time he's been attacked but his parents hope it's the last.
A crowd surrounded Kula near his bus stop. Someone with a cell phone camera shot the video. Suddenly, a boy whose identity we're hiding repeatedly punched Kula in the head.
"All the kids just wanted to watch the fight just so they could see someone get hurt," Kula said.
Kula says he never threw a punch.
"I don't know how to fight back," he said.
His parents found the video on Facebook. They say their autistic son is the target of constant bullying at Elkton Middle School.
"He's complained that he's been punched, pushed, kicked in school. But most of it is name calling and threats," said Kaleb's father, James Kula.
James and Jessica Kula have been in contact with school officials but say the bullying continues.
"It feels helpless, I guess you would say. What can I really do? Be a fly on the wall? I can't go to school with him every day," said Jessica Kula.
Cecil County Public Schools would not comment on the specifics of this case but say they take incidents like this very seriously.
In a statement, the school says it "conducted an investigation into the matter and disciplinary action is being taken against the students involved, in addition to the charges by law enforcement."
The child in this video is now charged with second-degree assault.
Kaleb Kula just hopes this never happens again.
"I hope it accomplishes that people won't be rude to me and that people will just stop bullying altogether," he said.
The school system says they do have a bullying report that parents can fill out. They say no matter how an incident is reported, all cases of bullying are investigated.
The video of the beating has been removed from Facebook.
