'Hands Hurt, Mom': Chicago Boy With Autism Complains Of Injuries After Getting Off School Bus
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The mother of a 10-year-old boy with autism is deeply concerned about what's been happening on his way to and from school.
CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot spoke exclusively with the child's mother. The parent said she believes her son's hands may have been bound while he was on the bus.
Since October of 2019, the child's mother said she's been trying to figure out why her son was complaining about his hands hurting.
She said some answers came in the form of a phone call she received almost two weeks ago, from the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS).
"As soon as he get off the bus (he would say) 'hands hurt, Mom. My hands hurt. Hands hurt.' He's non-verbal," LaBeth Frye said, talking about her 10-year-old son, MaCaulay Frye, who has autism.
Frye said from October of 2019 through February of 2020, at least four times, her son complained his hands hurt after getting off the school bus.
Each time, she reached out to his teachers at Harvard Elementary, in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood.
Then on Feb. 20, 2020, she noticed marks on her son's wrists.
"I took a picture and instantly called his teacher, who called the principal and we went from there," Frye said.
She spoke to DCFS twice.
"I told them everything. I needed help. I needed answers," Frye said.
Then, on June 23 of this year, Frye said she received a call from DCFS about the investigation involving MaCaulay.
She was told there was audio and video of an incident on the bus.
"They just told me, someone watched the video, from CPS and they called the DCFS hotline," Frye said. "Then she told me this person was indicated and doing (pauses) whatever to my son."
The term "indicated" means DCFS found the allegations to be true and a person is guilty of some wrongdoing.
Frye said she was told the bus attendant was the person indicated.
"It was like someone hit me in the stomach. I couldn't understand. You mean to tell me she's indicated, after all this time," asked Frye. "That's the last thing I would have thought, especially with cameras and another adult on the bus, the bus driver."
CPS said the bus aide was pulled from their position in February 2020 and an investigation into the incident is ongoing.
The bus driver has not been removed and is not the subject of any investigation.
In response to this story, DCFS said it cannot comment on any investigation or confirm if one is taking place.
