PITTSBURGH — The family of a girl with special needs just got closure after the bus aide who admitted to sexually assaulting her was sentenced.
The judge took his time Wednesday and really explained why he gave the defendant so much jail time.
“I’m so happy for Hannah that she was able to get justice,“ said Patti Fowler, who is ready to put this case, and the trauma it caused her family, behind her.
“I don’t want to give Lavelle Tucker any more of my energy," Fowler said. "I want to move forward in a positive direction. Start advocating for change to keep our children safe.”
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Fowler’s daughter, Hannah, was vindicated after the judge sentenced her former bus driver, Lavalle Tucker, to three and half to seven years in prison with several years of probation after.
The sentence came after Fowler rejected a plea deal prosecutors had made with Tucker and asked instead for a trial.
The judge said Tucker’s actions were especially egregious, using his stature and power as Hannah’s bus driver to sexually assault this girl who is nonverbal.
Tucker did apologize to the family and went on for several minutes about how he’s been ostracized from his church.
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"I don’t really care how he feels to be honest with you," Fowler said. "What he did was wrong and he should have remorse.“
Fowler and her family are now focused on getting cameras and aides on those buses so no special needs child will find themselves victimized like this.
"It’s good to have a second person when these children cannot care for themselves,” Fowler said.
Tucker is 74 years old. He’ll also have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.