Woman In Jail After Threatening Bus Driver, Students

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Posted: 6:07 PM Sep 11, 2008
Last Updated: 7:51 PM Sep 11, 2008
Reporter: Angela Sparkman
Email Address: angela.sparkman@wymtnews.com

14 comments

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A mother is in jail after police say she got on her child's bus and threatened to kill the bus driver and the students on board.

It happened in Floyd County. 28 year old April Davis is charged with 44 counts of menacing and one count of terroristic threatening.

The whole incident is caught on tape. All of April Davis' actions and threats are on the bus surveillance video. Authorities are not releasing that video for the students' safety, but they say after watching it, they felt Davis was serious and the bus driver's and students' lives could be in danger. Floyd County School directors say the Prestonsburg bus was full of elementary and high school students Tuesday morning when April Davis climbed on board.

"Caused a very, very disturbing scene," said Sgt. Tim Clark with the Floyd County Sheriff’s Department.

Sgt. Clark watched it all on the bus' surveillance video. He says she first threatened to kill the bus driver.

"Basically, she was going to take a knife and cut this school bus driver's head off," Sgt. Clark said.

Then he says she threatened the 44 students on board.

"The kids were going wild. This lady was screaming at the top of her voice, just absolutely scared these children to death," Sgt. Clark said.

School directors say the bus driver quickly called for help, and officers responded.

"I actually feel that it wouldn't have taken much more for her to be combative and hurt or kill someone on that bus," Sgt Clark said.

"Our first priority is keeping all of our kids safe and these kinds of actions will not be tolerated by the Floyd County School System," Floyd County Superintendent Henry Webb.

Investigators say Davis was mad over an earlier incident involving her own child on the bus.

"I don't think there's any reason for any parent to react the way this lady did," Webb said.

School directors are also investigating, and want to make sure it doesn't happen again.

Davis pleaded not guilty to all of her charges and is expected to be in court in November.

Police say they will be at that bus stop the next few days to help the students feel safe.

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Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

Posted by: wondering Location: new york on Sep 21, 2008 at 04:22 PM
i think she had the right to do this but not while the kids where on the bus and the three little boys that was therting her chid should get in trouble to they should not have sharpined a pencial and said that they were going to stab her child with a pencial they should get really bad trouble.

Posted by: Larry Location: Ky on Sep 13, 2008 at 08:27 AM
For what she has done, threaten the bus driver and the kids on the bus. Well, I would say, Lets sent her to the Eastern State Hospital and keep her their for a while. The Phy ward that is just perfect for her to go to so she can learn to control her temper.

Posted by: Ernest T. Bass Location: Mayberry on Sep 13, 2008 at 02:25 AM
Imonna get you, you and you, and Imonna get that sherriff!

Posted by: bus driver Location: Texas on Sep 13, 2008 at 12:39 AM
Anonymous, that is ridiculous. There is no way a bus driver would/could keep children on a bus for 6 HOURS. Stop and think about that. You are saying that if she picked them up at 3 PM that they didn't get dropped off til 9 PM. Do you really think the transportation director would have let that happen?

Posted by: John Location: Richmond on Sep 12, 2008 at 11:16 PM
What caused this woman to threaten the Bus Driver? Where's the whole story? Was her child being mistreated? Did this woman try to follow the proper channels and receive alot of closed doors from the school officals/ employees? Could this incident have been avoided if the school system would have given more interest in this womans concerns over her child?

Posted by: james Location: mcdowel on Sep 12, 2008 at 10:38 PM
the woman that threatening the bus driver an kids on the bus should be sent off for a while so she can get her sensis back

Posted by: y2k Location: ekentucky on Sep 12, 2008 at 03:26 PM
Look, tell us what happened to her child or children. Something made this lady go off.....You don't just charge a loaded school bus without some reason....

Posted by: Anonymous on Sep 12, 2008 at 02:16 PM
I had heard that the mother was mad at the school and the bus driver becuase the day before the driver kept the children on the bus for 6 hours and wouldnt let them get off because they was behaving badly. Has anyone else heard this, or is there any truth to it? If there is truth to it then something needs to be done with bus driver because that is just unacceptable!

Posted by: Denise Location: Pikeville on Sep 12, 2008 at 12:21 PM
If my child was on that bus, I'd be in jail. If she would stop to think, what if some other child's mother got on the bus while her child was on there and acted like that.

Posted by: have Mercery Location: Ky on Sep 12, 2008 at 08:13 AM
When will people ever learn to contain their temper. Even if you don't mean what you say it will be taken that you do... Don't talk in the heat of a situation take a moment to cool off and then respond might keep you tail out of jail!

Posted by: debbie Location: ky on Sep 12, 2008 at 08:01 AM
This person has some weird ways of playing the mother role, or acting as an adult! Makes a feller wonder how bad this female acts when shes not in public. STUPIDITY! My daughter and I were just debating about letting my grandbaby ride that same bus instead of taking her and fighting the traffic, (today, I thank God we didnt)! If this woman thinks she got mad over other children picking on her child, how does she think the other parents feel about what she done as an adult to their children? Apparently she hasnt met another angry mother or father YET!

Posted by: Mike Location: Harlan on Sep 12, 2008 at 06:52 AM
Mine owners got off cheap. Remember those miners in your prayers.

Posted by: Wondering- on Sep 12, 2008 at 04:32 AM
it would be interesting to know what had happened to her child and had she tried to have something done about it prior to making her threats. not that it would excuse her behavior, but could explain some of it. you have a mother, her child being mistreated, and possibly not getting any help to resolve it from the bus driver, school officials etc.- not accusing-just wondering.

Posted by: me Location: rite here on Sep 12, 2008 at 12:15 AM
good thing my kids didnt ride that bus she would get what she needs an it wont be jail

Posted by: Janice Location: Auxier on Sep 11, 2008 at 10:43 PM
This lady had no reason to indanger the welfare and life of the children and the bus driver. My daughter and 2 neices was on this bus and it was a very emotional and disturbing incident for them. They are having difficulties dealing with this especially the youngest who is only 7 years old. She didnt even want to go back to school, get on the bus or go to sleep that night. No one who acts in this type of manner should have custody of there own children because if she will act that way to other children she doesnt know,then how does she treat her own children. This is not a normal way for a parent who loves there children to act. There is proper ways to take care of matters and that is following the chain of command. Not acting like a pyscho. She needs to be put away for a long time. There should be no slap on the wrist or probation for this type of act. It should not matter if the jails are crowded. That is where she should be.

Posted by: michelle Location: hindman on Sep 11, 2008 at 10:10 PM
what is wrong with ppl today?????this is a act of stupidity....the woman needs help!

Posted by: Stacy on Sep 11, 2008 at 10:02 PM
send em to OU that should take care of it.

Posted by: Clawed Location: Knott on Sep 11, 2008 at 09:25 PM
Was the bus driver her ex? Doe she suffer from pms? I'm not joking here !

Posted by: Retired Educator Location: E. KY on Sep 11, 2008 at 08:00 PM
Here we go again!! Parents threatening school employees when their "little darling" doesn't get its way!! What is wrong with this doofus? Would she want her child threatened in this way? I think not!! There are better and more adult ways to settle a grievance. I am not saying she did not have a right to be heard...but don't scare the children to death!!! That is the problem I have with this behavior. What kind of example is she setting for her own child. Maybe she and her child will both learn that this is not the way to take care of a problem.

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