Light sentence for NJ nurse in death of disabled student on school bus

👨‍⚖️ Non-verbal student in a wheelchair died on school bus ride home

👨‍⚖️ Nurse sentenced after pleading guilty to neglect

👨‍⚖️ Victim's mother urges lawmakers to pass a bill protecting disabled students

EAST HANOVER — A former nurse has lost his nursing license but will spend no time in prison after pleading guilty to negligence in the death of a non-verbal disabled Morris County man.

Emilio Rivera, 30, of Carlstadt, was sentenced on Friday in Superior County in Morris County, according to the Morris County Prosecutor's Office.

Rivera pleaded guilty to third-degree endangerment and third-degree neglect of a disabled person in February.

He was sentenced to 90 days in jail and three years of probation in connection with the Feb. 10, 2023 death of Matthew Rossi, who had autism and used a wheelchair due to muscular dystrophy. An attorney for the Rossi family did not respond to a request for comment Monday.

Nurse was negligent in disabled student's death

According to the Morris County Prosecutor's Office, Rivera was a licensed nurse legally responsible for the 19-year-old student on the ride home from school.

Rivera did not call 911 or take any action to save Rossi after he became unresponsive on the school bus, according to a lawsuit filed by Rossi's family. The lawsuit also accused Rivera of telling the bus driver not to pull over after they noticed the disabled student in distress.

When the bus arrived at their East Hanover home around 3:10 p.m., Rossi's father immediately called the police for help.

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But it was too late. Rossi was pronounced dead around an hour later.

A month passed before Rossi's family learned anything about what happened on their son's last bus ride home from school.

Mom urges lawmakers to protect disabled students

In March, Anabela Rossi begged the state senators to pass a bill protecting disabled students on school bus rides.

"While there may be questions about cost related to some components of this bill, this concern pales in comparison to the value of our children, protecting them from harm, and saving lives. Our son Matthew bore the ultimate cost: his life," Rossi said.

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The bill (S3858) would require the installation of video cameras and a GPS locator on each school bus that transports disabled students.

If signed into law, it would also mandate that school bus drivers, aides, and other personnel on school buses call 911 during a potentially life-threatening emergency. The bill establishes civil penalties for violators.

It passed in the Senate Education Committee unanimously last month.

Another special-needs child died in 2023

Earlier this year, a jury in Somerset County found a bus aide not guilty of manslaughter but guilty of child endangerment after she allowed a 6-year-old girl in a wheelchair to be strangled to death by her harness while the aide wore ear buds and looked at her phone. Amanda Davilla was sentenced in March to 3 years in prison.

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