Boise school bus driver accused of possessing child sexual exploitation material
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Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman
BOISE (Idaho Statesman) — A Boise School District bus driver was arrested under suspicion of felony injury to a child and possession of child sexual exploitation material Thursday afternoon after an investigation by the Idaho Attorney General’s Office, according to a news release by the agency.
Brian Hendricks was arrested at his home in Boise where they found several children living in the home in “imminent danger,” according to a news release from the Attorney General’s Office. He was booked into the Ada County Jail on suspicion of 11 felony counts: seven of possessing child sexual exploitation material and four of injury to a child, according to the jail roster and Attorney General’s Office.
Investigators also found multiple animals in the home living in uninhabitable conditions, according to the Attorney General’s Office. Authorities took action to protect the children and seized the animals, the news release said. Hendricks was also suspected of two misdemeanor counts of animal nuisance, according to the Ada County Sheriff’s Office jail roster.
Hendricks had been working as a bus driver with Durham School Services, Boise School District’s contracted transportation service. Durham School Services fired Hendricks after learning about his arrest, the company told the Idaho Statesman in a statement.
The Boise School District said in a news release that it had received no reports regarding Hendricks. Investigators also stated there was no evidence of local victims, according to the district’s news release.
The district said every bus in its fleet, including the one Hendricks operated, is equipped with cameras. Hendricks’ route also included another Durham staff member who was a bus monitor, according to the district.
“We take this matter very seriously and are working closely with local law enforcement to ensure the continued safety and well-being of our students,” the school district stated. “The safety of the children we serve is our highest priority, and we remain committed to maintaining rigorous safety protocols with all of our staff and contracted service providers.”
The Attorney General’s Office encouraged anyone with information regarding the exploitation of children to contact local police, the Attorney General’s ICAC Unit at 208-947-8700 or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678.