Woodbridge School Bus Aide Accused Of Taking Money From Special Needs Students

WOODBRIDGE, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- The crime was unthinkable, a school bus aide accused of stealing money from special needs students.

As CBS2's Christine Sloan reported, police said Candice Milford stole from five children between the ages of 6 and 9.

All of them were enrolled at a Woodbridge elementary school, sources said.

The news brought some parents to tears, especially since police said, some of the children have limited communication skills.

"I don't understand why people would do things like this. Oh my goodness," Heather Soto said.

"I think it's despicable, disgusting to do that to a little child. The school hasn't notified me about this," Tara Moore said.

A CBS2 News team was asked to leave the Woodbridge School District Bus Depot. Messages left for the superintendent have gone unreturned.

Investigators said parents, whose names were not released, noticed in October that money they were sending with their children for class trips wasn't getting to teachers.

"Maybe a couple of hundred dollars at this point from when we received the information to when we made the arrest on the twenty first," Captain Roy Hoppock of the Woodbridge Police Department said.

Investigators wouldn't say how they broke the case.

"I have an autistic daughter and that's disgusting. They can't even go on a school bus without being robbed," Milford's neighbor, Bear Cuevas said.

The thefts are a third degree crime, and if convicted Milford probably wouldn't serve prison time.

Police said Milford has been employed by the district for three years. Because no one has responded to requests for comment, CBS2 was unable to determine if Milford is still employed.