Somerset County jury convicts bus monitor of endangering the welfare of a child in death of 6-year-old girl
SOMERVILLE, NJ (Somerset County) – A Somerset County jury Monday found Amanda Davila, 28, of New Brunswick, guilty of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child following a weeklong trial.
The conviction stems from her role as a bus monitor during a tragic incident on July 17, 2023, in which 6-year-old Fajr Williams, a disabled child, died while riding a school bus in Franklin Township.
Davila, employed by Montauk Transportation at the time, was responsible for ensuring the safety of students on the bus, including Williams, who was wheelchair-bound. However, surveillance footage revealed Davila failed to properly secure Williams’ wheelchair and did not use the required shoulder and lap belt during the ride. As a result, Williams slid down in her wheelchair and was strangled by the harness.
The video also showed that, instead of focusing on the students in her care, Davila was distracted throughout the ride, using her cellphone to scroll through Instagram, listen to music, and send and receive 34 text messages. She also ignored training protocols that emphasized frequent checks on students, the proper seating arrangement, and no use of cellphones or earbuds.
Despite being trained to ensure the safety of children in her charge, including specific instructions on how to handle wheelchair-bound passengers, Davila’s actions led to Williams’ tragic death. The jury acquitted Davila of first-degree Aggravated Manslaughter and second-degree Manslaughter charges.
Assistant Prosecutors Michael McLaughlin and Bridgett Dudding, along with Litigation Paralegal Maria Ducca, represented the state during the trial. Davila faces a sentence of up to 10 years in New Jersey state prison when she is sentenced on March 7, 2025.
