Amanda Davila Convicted in Child Endangerment Case

Amanda Davila, a New Jersey school bus aide, was found guilty of endangering the welfare of a child following the death of 6-year-old Fajr Atiya Williams, a non-verbal girl with special needs, who was strangled by her wheelchair's safety harness in 2023. Davila was acquitted of more severe charges of aggravated and reckless manslaughter. During the trial, the defense argued that Williams was improperly strapped into her wheelchair by a family member, while the prosecution highlighted Davila's negligence, as she was distracted by her phone during the ride and failed to monitor the child. Video evidence showed that Davila did not check on Williams for about 10 minutes as the child struggled to breathe. Davila admitted to not following protocol but maintained that the incident was not solely her fault. Sentencing is scheduled for March, with Davila facing a potential prison term of five to ten years.