Marysville boy, 14, charged with indecency in bus attack

MARYSVILLE — A former Marysville Middle School student has been charged with felony unlawful imprisonment and indecent exposure after allegedly touching a girl inappropriately on a school bus March 1.

Four other students accused of aiding the now-14-year-old boy won’t be prosecuted if they meet conditions set under a diversion program in juvenile court, officials said.

Court papers filed Thursday shed light on what police and prosecutors believe happened during a bus ride that led to disciplinary action against seven boys from Marysville Middle School. The bus driver remains on paid administrative leave pending a separate investigation through the Washington Schools Risk Management Pool, school district officials said.

The victim, 13, said the boy put his bare buttocks and genitals on top of her head in two separate attacks during the same ride, according to court papers.

The boy gave police a similar account. He said he was not sexually aroused during the assaults and now realizes he made a terrible mistake.

He told police that other students helped push the girl down, and the girl seemed angry when he came back.

A police review of footage from the bus surveillance camera supported what investigators were told during interviews.

The incident began when the boy who was charged began tickling the girl and pushed her down between the bus seats until she was sitting on the floor.

The teen then made thrusting motions toward her before pulling down his pants and sitting on top of her head with his bare buttocks.

He left her there, but came back, unzipped his pants and touched her head with his testicles.

The girl was screaming at the boy to stop and trying to keep from being pushed to the ground.

Two boys, 11 and 12 at the time, appeared to be pushing the girl’s hands off the back of the seats in an effort to help the boy, court papers said of the video.

The attack ended when another girl grabbed the partially undressed boy by the hood of his sweatshirt and pulled him off of the victim, according to court papers.

Police and district officials said that the boys engaged in differing levels of misconduct.

Deputy prosecutor Cindy Larsen said the crimes the boy is charged with are not considered sex crimes and he won’t have to register as a sex offender if he is convicted. The indecent exposure count is a gross misdemeanor.

The boy wrote an apology letter to the victim, according to court papers.

The incident occurred near the middle of the bus on a morning run from neighborhoods in the north end of the district, officials said. There were about 40 students on board at the time.

Prosecutors said the video shows the bus ride was “loud and chaotic with students moving between seats frequently.”

The school district did not learn about the attack allegations until the next day.

School district officials said the surveillance camera on the bus caught events the bus driver didn’t see. The district randomly checks videotape from buses.

In March, four of the boys were expelled and three received long-term suspensions. After appeals, two remain expelled for a full calendar year and two others are suspended through the end of the school year.

Two boys went before a re-admission panel and are expected to return to classes before the end of the year. The seventh boy was allowed to return shortly after the incident. He is required to follow a safety plan that sets conditions of behavior he must abide.

Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446; stevick@heraldnet.com.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Traffic idles while waiting for the lights to change along 33rd Avenue West on Tuesday, April 2, 2024 in Lynnwood, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lynnwood seeks solutions to Costco traffic boondoggle

Let’s take a look at the troublesome intersection of 33rd Avenue W and 30th Place W, as Lynnwood weighs options for better traffic flow.

A memorial with small gifts surrounded a utility pole with a photograph of Ariel Garcia at the corner of Alpine Drive and Vesper Drive ion Wednesday, April 10, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Death of Everett boy, 4, spurs questions over lack of Amber Alert

Local police and court authorities were reluctant to address some key questions, when asked by a Daily Herald reporter this week.

The new Amazon fulfillment center under construction along 172nd Street NE in Arlington, just south of Arlington Municipal Airport. (Chuck Taylor / The Herald) 20210708
Frito-Lay leases massive building at Marysville business park

The company will move next door to Tesla and occupy a 300,0000-square-foot building at the Marysville business park.

Emma Dilemma, a makeup artist and bikini barista for the last year and a half, serves a drink to a customer while dressed as Lily Munster Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022, at XO Espresso on 41st Street in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
After long legal battle, Everett rewrites bikini barista dress code

Employees now have to follow the same lewd conduct laws as everyone else, after a judge ruled the old dress code unconstitutional.

The oldest known meteor shower, Lyrid, will be falling across the skies in mid- to late April 2024. (Photo courtesy of Pixabay)
Clouds to dampen Lyrid meteor shower views in Western Washington

Forecasters expect a storm will obstruct peak viewing Sunday. Locals’ best chance at viewing could be on the coast. Or east.

AquaSox's Travis Kuhn and Emerald's Ryan Jensen an hour after the game between the two teams on Sunday continue standing in salute to the National Anthem at Funko Field on Sunday, Aug. 25, 2019 in Everett, Wash. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
New AquaSox stadium downtown could cost up to $120M

That’s $40 million more than an earlier estimate. Alternatively, remodeling Funko Field could cost nearly $70 million.

Downtown Everett, looking east-southeast. (Chuck Taylor / The Herald) 20191022
5 key takeaways from hearing on Everett property tax increase

Next week, City Council members will narrow down the levy rates they may put to voters on the August ballot.

Everett police officers on the scene of a single-vehicle collision on Evergreen Way and Olivia Park Road Wednesday, July 5, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Photo provided by Everett Police Department)
Everett man gets 3 years for driving high on fentanyl, killing passenger

In July, Hunter Gidney crashed into a traffic pole on Evergreen Way. A passenger, Drew Hallam, died at the scene.

FILE - Then-Rep. Dave Reichert, R-Wash., speaks on Nov. 6, 2018, at a Republican party election night gathering in Issaquah, Wash. Reichert filed campaign paperwork with the state Public Disclosure Commission on Friday, June 30, 2023, to run as a Republican candidate. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)
6 storylines to watch with Washington GOP convention this weekend

Purist or pragmatist? That may be the biggest question as Republicans decide who to endorse in the upcoming elections.

Keyshawn Whitehorse moves with the bull Tijuana Two-Step to stay on during PBR Everett at Angel of the Winds Arena on Wednesday, April 17, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
PBR bull riders kick up dirt in Everett Stampede headliner

Angel of the Winds Arena played host to the first night of the PBR’s two-day competition in Everett, part of a new weeklong event.

Simreet Dhaliwal speaks after winning during the 2024 Snohomish County Emerging Leaders Awards Presentation on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Simreet Dhaliwal wins The Herald’s 2024 Emerging Leaders Award

Dhaliwal, an economic development and tourism specialist, was one of 12 finalists for the award celebrating young leaders in Snohomish County.

In this Jan. 12, 2018 photo, Ben Garrison, of Puyallup, Wash., wears his Kel-Tec RDB gun, and several magazines of ammunition, during a gun rights rally at the Capitol in Olympia, Wash. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
With gun reform law in limbo, Edmonds rep is ‘confident’ it will prevail

Despite a two-hour legal period last week, the high-capacity ammunition magazine ban remains in place.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.