Watch CBS News

Salem Mother Allegedly Assaults 5-Year-Old Girl On School Bus

SALEM (CBS) - A Salem mother is facing assault charges after being accused of attacking a little girl on her son's school bus.

The girl is a five-year-old kindergartner and the incident happened Thursday morning.

Police say Dominique Hans was upset about an incident the day before in which she believed her five-year-old son had been hit by the girl on the bus and came home with a scratch on his face. That's when she tracked the bus down on the street and approached the driver.

"She started yelling at the bus driver that her son was assaulted on the bus the day before and she was obviously upset about it, and she was going to take care of it herself," said Salem Police Lt. Mary Butler.

Police said Hans stepped on board the bus despite the driver's pleas for her to stay away. She marched straight to where her son was sitting and told him to point out who had hit him.

"He pointed out a kindergarten girl at which point she started hitting her about the head and face. The girl was sort of protecting herself and she was screaming at her all the time, 'Don't ever hit my son again,'" said Butler.

The little girl was very upset and crying, but was not seriously hurt.

By the time police and EMTs caught up to the bus, Hans was gone, but was later tracked down in Chelsea where she works. Now she prepares to defend herself in court for what she claims was defending her son.

Police said the scene was not only traumatic for the son and the little girl, but also for the other kids on the bus, who were shouting at the mother to stop, along with the bus driver.

Hans faces assault and battery charges.

She claims she took action because the school did not respond to her complaints.

She will be arraigned Friday.

WBZ-TV's Christina Hager reports

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.