JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Jacksonville woman is calling for more accountability from Student Transportation of America (STA) after discovering her 17-year-old niece was allegedly involved in a sexual relationship with one of the company’s bus drivers.
Natalie Lacey, a former STA driver herself, says she found evidence of the relationship in text messages and Instagram DMs. She reported it to STA, hoping the company would take swift action.
“I felt compelled to go to them first because I worked with those people there for twenty years,” Lacey said.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
Days later, the Department of Children and Family Services and Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office detectives visited her home. But Lacey says she hasn’t heard from the bus company since.
“They should have said, ‘We’re going to work with you. We’re going to get to the bottom of it. We’re going to follow up.’ They have not reached out to me,” she said.
STA confirmed the incident, telling Action News Jax:
“The safety and well-being of the students we transport is always our top priority. As soon as this allegation came to our attention, the driver was immediately removed from routes and is no longer employed with the company. We are fully cooperating with local authorities and Duval County Public Schools as the investigation continues. There is zero tolerance for actions that put students at risk. Safety is a non-negotiable condition of every driver’s employment with Student Transportation of America. STA immediately reported the allegations to the Department of Children and Families per mandated reporter requirements and began an internal investigation. The driver subsequently resigned from employment with the company.”
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
Duval County Public Schools also addressed the matter:
“We are aware that the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is investigating this serious report involving an STA employee. STA notified the district of the allegation on Aug. 20, and student safety was our immediate priority. Working with STA, we ensured the driver was promptly removed from serving our schools. This matter is being investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, who was contacted directly by the guardian, and the district is fully cooperating with their investigation.”
Lacey says her niece is still dealing with the aftermath. She urges other parents to stay vigilant.
“Start looking at those phones. You pay the bill, you look at those phones… I let her slip between the cracks,” she said.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is still reviewing the case, and no one has been taken into custody.
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
