Tiffeny Beatrice Avery, a resident of Victorville, was arrested on August 23rd in the 22900 block of Bear Valley Road in Apple Valley and booked into the High Desert Detention Center. Avery was booked under PC273A(A)- when an individual (a) places a child in a dangerous situation
APPLE VALLEY — An Apple Valley Unified School District bus driver that district officials say left a preschool student on a bus last week has been criminally charged after she was placed on administrative leave.
According to an AVUSD statement, the special needs student was found on Aug. 23 by another bus driver, approximately an hour after the bus route concluded at the end of the school day.
District spokeswoman Kristin Hernandez said the student attends a specialized program outside the district, which the AVUSD Transportation Department services.
Hernandez said the district “immediately” contacted the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department and is “cooperating with their investigation.”
Apple Valley Sheriff’s Station spokeswoman Trish Hill told the Daily Press the bus driver was arrested an hour after the report was made. Hill said the department received a call from the district at approximately 2:21 p.m. Hill said another bus driver had heard noises coming from one of the parked buses and went to see what was going on. The bus driver then notified a supervisor that the child was inside the bus and authorities were notified.
Booking records show that deputies arrested Tiffeny Beatrice Avery in the 22900 block of Bear Valley Road on suspicion of willful cruelty to a child.
Avery, 32, of Victorville, was released from custody on Aug. 24, booking records show. Prosecutors charged Avery on Aug. 25 but court records do not show a scheduled arraignment.
“Thankfully, the student was unharmed,” Hernandez said. “Parents were immediately contacted and the child was taken home. The student is now back in school and using district transportation.
“Words cannot express how dismayed we are that this occurred and how seriously we are taking this incident. The safety of our students is our top priority. The bus driver has been placed on administrative leave and we will continue to work with law enforcement to ensure that appropriate measures are taken.”
The district said a refresher training course for employees was held on Aug. 24 to reiterate transportation procedures.
“Further measures have been put into place to ensure that this does not happen again,” Hernandez said.