Indiana Parents Arrested After Boarding School Bus and Allegedly Beating Children They Accused of Bullying Their Son

GREENWOOD, IN — Two Indiana parents are facing multiple charges after police say they boarded a school bus and physically assaulted several children they believed had been bullying their young son. The violent confrontation, captured on the bus’s interior camera, has shocked local families and raised serious concerns about student safety.

Parents Board Bus Without Permission and Confront Children

The incident unfolded on the morning of Oct. 31 at an apartment complex in Greenwood. According to investigators, 27-year-old Donquarious Ridley and 25-year-old Raven Barner climbed aboard a school bus immediately after their son was picked up.

The bus driver did not authorize them to enter, but both parents allegedly forced their way inside and began yelling at several students.

Footage reviewed by police showed Barner stepping toward two children and aggressively accusing them of bullying her stepson. At one point she allegedly threatened one child directly, telling him she would “beat his a—.”

Barner then encouraged her stepson to start fighting the boy, escalating the situation instead of diffusing it.

Video Shows Children Being Hit and Thrown Down

As the bus driver attempted to shield the frightened kids, Barner allegedly struck two of the children — hitting one of them “inadvertently” during the chaos.

Ridley, police said, was also seen encouraging his son to retaliate. The boy then struck another child before Ridley allegedly grabbed that same child, threw him to the floor, and allowed his son to continue hitting him.

Investigators said Ridley didn’t stop there — he also shoved another young passenger so hard that the child hit the side of the bus.

The children involved were all under the age of 14.

Police Locate and Arrest the Parents

Officers tracked the pair down shortly after the incident and stopped their vehicle nearby. Both Ridley and Barner were arrested and booked into the Johnson County Jail.

Ridley faces:

• Two counts of battery on a child under 14
• One count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor

Barner faces:

• Two counts of battery on a child under 14

Neither appeared on the jail roster Tuesday, indicating they may have bonded out or been released pending hearings.

Ridley is scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 1, while Barner’s court date is Dec. 4.

Community Shocked by the Violent Confrontation

Parents in the Greenwood school district expressed alarm after learning that two adults were able to walk onto a school bus and assault children in front of multiple witnesses. Police emphasized that regardless of bullying allegations, no parent is permitted to enter a school bus or physically confront students.

Investigators confirmed that there is no evidence the bus driver allowed them on board, and the driver attempted multiple times to intervene and protect the children.

The video footage, officers said, clearly showed the parents provoking and participating in violence.

How should schools handle situations where parents believe their children are being bullied? Share your thoughts with us on ChicagoMusicGuide.com.