FRANKLIN COUNTY, VA – “You’re supposed to send them off safe to school, and then this is what you get,” A concerned Franklin County mom said.
More allegations are coming to light just days after Franklin County bus driver Matthew Davis was arrested and charged for sexual acts with a minor.
“What was the first thing that went through your mind, when you saw that?” 10 News Anchor Abbie Coleman asked.
“The first thing that went through my mind is ‘I’m not surprised at all,” the mom said.
We first told you about Davis’ arrest on Tuesday - when the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office charged him with three felony counts of aggravated sexual battery - and one misdemeanor count of sexual battery.
After that story aired - a mom of a Franklin County middle schooler reached out to 10 News, with her own allegations.
“Transportation as a whole needs to be held accountable because there’s no way we were the only complaint,” the mom said.
She wanted to stay anonymous for her son’s sake - but tells us issues arose his first day on the bus.
“My son got off the bus a couple times and he would be like, ‘Matt asked me and, my neighbors son, if we were gay because we wanted to sit together,” she said.
She says that escalated to everyday issues between Davis and her son.
She and her neighbor contacted the school system on multiple occasions - but tells us nothing was ever done.
This mom didn’t have the ability to pull her son off of the bus.
“That’s a hard conversation to have with your son. Like, ‘I know you didn’t do anything wrong, and this is unfortunate, but I just need you to sit there, and don’t give him a reason to say anything to you,’” she said.
The criminal complaint against Davis details four girls between the ages of 12 and 15 alleging Davis spoke to and touched them inappropriately over the past two years.
They say he would act like he was going to brush a piece of hair or lint off of their chest, or take a phone out of their back pocket - and touch them instead.
“The strength that has to take,” the mom said.
The mom we spoke with wants the district to be held accountable.
“It’s not fair to the kids,” she said.
We reached out to superintendent Kevin Siers.
He confirmed that Davis did work for the division - but he says he can’t comment on the allegations or complaints.
