Former Pasco school bus aide who slapped autistic boy pleads guilty

James Lambert, 59, who was caught on surveillance video slapping an autistic child on a Pasco County School bus two years ago, has plead guilty.

• Former Pasco school bus aide who slapped autistic boy pleads guilty
• James Lambert sentenced to one year in jail, one year of probation
  
• Plea deal cut charges of child abuse to misdemeanor battery
  

Lori Lamb has had to watch the horrifying video of her son being slapped by former school bus aide James Lambert over and over.

“He was let down, and let down by an adult that was supposed to be there for him if he ever needed, like a second parent," said Lamb.

The incident happed June 3rd, 2014. In the video you can hear Lambert say, "Say it one more time, you like it?" as the child cried.  

Lamb says her now 12-year-old autistic son Jeffery hasn’t been the same.

“Before this started he was full potty trained, he was going to the bathroom, he had his own room, sleeping in his own room,” said Lamb. “Now he's sleeping with myself and my husband and he's in diapers."

Lamb said Jeffery was even diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

But now with the bus aide headed to jail, Lamb hopes her family can begin to heal. Lambert got one year behind bars and a year probation. It was a plea deal that cut his charges of child abuse to misdemeanor battery instead.

"As long as he's doing some time and he's doing some service to make up for what he did, it's OK. I can't ask for any more than that," said Lambert.

Part of Lambert’s plea agreement requires him to take anger management and to write a letter to the victim’s family apologizing for the crime.