School bus driver charged for booster-seat lack

A Waterford School District bus driver was charged Wednesday with endangering the welfare of a child, the Camden County Prosecutor's Office said.

David McDonnell, 64, of Chesilhurst, faces 14 counts - one for each of the 4- and 5-year-old children on the bus - of driving an elementary school route without booster seats, as required by law, officials said.

McDonnell, who was held Wednesday in the Camden County Jail with bail set at $50,000, also is charged with failing to properly restrain the children. He is an employee of T&L Transportation, a bus company contracted by the district.

The missing seats came to officials' attention when McDonnell's bus aide, Alfred Dean, 76, also of Chesilhurst, was charged in April with sexually assaulting a female child on the van, authorities said. Dean, known as "Harry" to passengers, is accused of sexually assaulting the child on numerous occasions from December 2009 until April. It appears that Dean removed the booster seats, authorities said. McDonnell is not accused of participating in or being aware of the alleged assaults, but, as the driver, it was his responsibility to make sure the children were properly secured, authorities said.  

 - Darran Simon