Video shows woman slam 7-year-old west Michigan student against bus window

Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools district, police say video isn't whole story; child's mother plans to press charges

AUGUSTA, Mich. – Seven-year-old Hunter Dawson's mother was in tears just at the thought of a video which shows her 40-pound son getting shoved up against the side of a bus by the now-former Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools transportation supervisor.

Watch: Woman slams boy, 7, against bus window

The woman does not work for the school district. The district is quick to point out she works for a private transportation company based in Ohio. The district contracted with the company just a few months ago. She has been fired since the incident with Hunter.

However, Shannon Roodebergen, Hunter's mother, says that is not enough.

"I mean, that's abuse, child endangerment and assault," she said.

But both Augusta police and the Galesburg-Augusta school district say there is more to the story including what happened minutes before and after what the video shows.

"There's always a lot of pieces to a puzzle and 5 seconds of video doesn't make the whole report," said Jeff Heppler, Augusta police chief.

The school district says there is a second video taken by an adult on the bus which shows more. However, they are not releasing the video, citing student privacy. The woman in the video has not commented on it, but her daughter is coming to her defense.

"Because I don't know everything that went on in that situation," said Jessica Phares. "I know that she wouldn't do it on purpose just to harm a child. She's not that kind of woman."

Regardless, Roodebergen says she will press charges.

"I'm pressing charges against her. I don't agree with any adult doing anything like that, so I'm going to do whatever I can to get her fired," the mother said.