An Indiana school bus driver was arrested on Friday after video footage emerged that appeared to show the 27-year-old allowing students to take the wheel and drive for short distances.
Joandrea Dehaven McAtee was fired from her job and charged with felony neglect of a dependent by the Porter County Sheriff's Department a day after the incident, ABC News reported.
McAtee allegedly let an 11-year-old, 13-year-old and 17-year-old student take turns driving a bus carrying other students through a rural area in Indiana on Thursday. Some students recorded the incident, which went viral on social media.
One video appears to show McAtee instructing a student behind the wheel to put her foot on the brake.
Another video on Twitter appears to show a girl drive the bus and, while McAtee cannot be seen, her voice reportedly can be heard.
The incident came to light after parents from Boone Grove High School emailed a letter to Porter Township complaining that a bus driver was giving children turns driving the bus home from school, CBS Chicago reported.
One mother, Rochelle McNamara, told the news outlet she found out about what happened on the bus from her daughter on Thursday afternoon.
"Then we got the email, and I was just like, 'I don't understand where an adult who's driving a bus gets an idea that that is OK," she said, according to CBS Chicago.
McAtee was fired by the company operating buses in Porter Township, First Student, which called her actions disappointing.
"Behavior such as this is completely unacceptable and totally at odds with what we stand for as a company," a statement read, according to ABC News.
The Porter Township School Corporation said it was "angered and disappointed" in McAtee's actions. "The safety of our students is a top priority. This individual's actions are not reflective of the hard work, dedication, and professionalism of our staff."
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