VIRGINIA 10-YEAR-OLD HOSPITALIZED WITH SPINAL FRACTURE AFTER SCHOOL BUS ATTACK. (PHOTO).

 Virginia 10-year-old hospitalized with spinal fracture after school bus attack

A 10-year-old boy in Suffolk, Virginia, is hospitalized with two fractured vertebrae and neck swelling after being assaulted on a school bus, his mother says. Elizabeth Feagans said her son, a student at Mack Benn Elementary School, came home trembling and in tears just over a week ago, barely able to explain that another student had punched and stomped on him during the bus ride.

Feagans said she was not notified of the incident by Suffolk Public Schools. She described the confrontation as escalating from a verbal exchange with an 11-year-old on the bus before the physical attack. She rushed her son to a hospital, and he was later transferred to CHKD, where doctors expressed shock at the severity of his injuries, noting such fractures are typically caused by car accidents or other high-impact trauma.

Police have confirmed the assault was captured on video, and authorities said the 11-year-old responsible will face charges. A spokesperson for the Suffolk Police Department noted that no charges are currently filed, pending the ongoing investigation.

Feagans said her son will no longer attend Mack Benn Elementary or any school in the Suffolk Public Schools system and will instead enroll in a virtual learning program. “This is going to affect his future, honestly, as it should,” she said, referring to the 11-year-old involved. Suffolk Public Schools said they are aware of the incident but cannot provide details due to HIPAA regulations.