Probation For Ex-Beverly Bus Driver Who Left 5-Year-Old On Bus

BEVERLY, MA — A former Beverly school bus driver pleaded guilty Monday to a charge of reckless child endangerment just moments before his trial was set to begin in Salem District Court. David Boutros, 72, of 80 South Riverview Street in Haverhill, was sentenced to two years supervised probation. During his probation he will be barred from working as a caretaker for children and must notify companies that may employ him as a driver.

Boutros was accused of leaving a five-year-old unattended on a bus during the first week of school in September 2018. At the time, he had several traffic violations on his record but was allowed to renew his commercial driver's license.

Boutros, according to a police report, "knowingly disregarded protocols and never checked the bus for any students" after his routes on Sept. 7, leaving a five-year-old alone on his school bus. The kindergartner sat on the bus for several hours and then injured himself when he was knocked to the ground by a car while trying to walk home.

While Boutros initially told police he had cleared his bus after driving his route, security footage showed otherwise, police said.