A former Boston school bus driver faces multiple charges in connection to the death of a kindergartener who was run over and killed just moments after getting off the bus last year, prosecutors said.
Jean Charles, 39, of Brockton, pleaded not guilty Thursday in Suffolk Superior Court to involuntary manslaughter, reckless motor vehicular homicide and negligent motor vehicle homicide in the death of five-year-old Lens Arthur Joseph.
Charles was released on $15,000 bail and ordered not to drive and to surrender his passport. He is due back in court May 11.
Prosecutors say the April 28, 2025, crash in Hyde Park happened after a series of failures – including missed safety checks, a wrong stop and a breakdown in basic crossing protocols meant to protect young children.
Joseph, a student at UP Academy Charter School, had just gotten off the bus when he tried to cross the street and was struck.
“Lens got off that bus that day with the same expectation that any child, to get off safely and to get home to their family, but he didn’t get home safely that day for the reasons you just heard in court earlier,” Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden said outside court. “It is the reckless actions that have opened an unfillable hole in the hearts of everyone who knew Lens and who loved him.”
During the arraignment, prosecutors outlined a series of incidents leading up to the child’s death. Assistant District Attorney Ursula Knight said that Charles failed to conduct a required pre-trip inspection that would have revealed a broken safety crossing arm and a flat tire. He also allegedly missed the designated stop, dropping the child across the street from his home.
“Without looking for Lens, checking his mirrors, without assuring that Lens had reached safety, the defendant accelerated, and Lens was pulled under,” Knight said.
“Waiting only a few seconds, and without accounting for Lens’s whereabouts, Charles drove away and immediately ran over the child, causing his death,” Hayden added in a statement.
Authorities also alleged a long list of incidents involving Charles and his questionable driving record.
Prosecutors say Charles struck a postal truck shortly before the fatal incident and failed to report it. Transdev, the company he worked for, previously said Charles also hit a car that day – an incident that would have required him to be taken off his route.
The company revealed Charles’ school bus certification had lapsed months earlier, in December 2024. He resigned in May 2025 ahead of a scheduled termination hearing.
Charles’ attorney Kenneth Anderson, called the case a “tragic accident.”
“Our hearts go out to the family of Lens Arthur Joseph. We can’t imagine the loss they’re going through. We can’t fathom that. There’s no winners in this case,” Anderson said, according to CBS News.
“Not to compare what he’s going through to what the family is going through, but he hasn’t slept a good night since last April,” he added. “This has been a tragic thing for him as well.”
The child’s family has filed a civil lawsuit against both Charles and Transdev, alleging negligence in hiring, training and supervision. The suit also claims the company failed to install additional safety technologies that could have prevented the crash.
“While nothing will bring back Lens, the Joseph family takes some comfort in the criminal justice system’s efforts to hold the driver responsible for his actions,” attorney Matthew Fogelman said in a statement following Thursday’s arraignment.
“The family understands that the criminal process will now proceed. And we will continue to pursue accountability for Lens’ death against Transdev, the bus company, through the civil justice system.”
