Bus Victim's Parents Object to Charging Boy

The family of 8 year old Amber Sadiq, who was killed when another 8 year old released the parking brake of a school bus and sent the bus rolling down the street, does not want the boy to face charges. Amber's father, Imran Sadiq, said, "He is a baby himself. The question is why the vehicle was not more secure." Tafari (whose full name was printed in the NY Times but not the Post or Daily News; Newsday and NY Sun printed his first name) was charged with negligent homicide, but will undergo psychiatric evaluations first; the city's corporation counsel will ultimately decide whether to pursue the charges. Tafari, who cried during yesterday's hearing and asked how old the judge was as well as what the gavel was for, was described by his lawyer as being traumatized and scared. One revelation was that Tafari missed 40 days of school - enough for PS 161 to contact the Administration for Children's Services and for the ACS to check on the family (Tafari's father was raising him and a brother).

Tafari and Amber both attended the same school in Crown Heights, but Tafari had been suspended for playing on an empty bus on Friday. That Monday morning, Tafari and his father met with the principal to discuss the incident, with Tafari being left at home with his grandmother for the rest of the day. While she was napping, Tafari left the house and went to play on the bus that killed Amber. There's some question about the responsibility of the bus driver/bus company in the matter: Apparently the driver did follow regulations by locking the front door (the emergency doors that Tafari entered through do not lock), but some industry experts say buses are not supposed to be parked on streets. And both the Post and Daily News say that Amber had asked her mother if she could stay home on Monday, so she could pick out a dress for her sister's graduation.

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By Jen Chung in News on May 24, 2006 8:52 AM

Comments [rss]

CLIMAX TOGETHER

It seems people here are so ignorant and infatile that they blame this issue on race isntead of other obvious factors.

I.e. Socio-cultural and socio-economic.

Take a damn humanities class, for Zeus' sake!

Kojak

I think its ridiculous that some people here are using race as an issue here. Sadly shit like this happens all over the country regardless of ethnicity.

It doesnt matter if your black pink yellow green or white, alot of 8 year olds are capable of acting this foolish.

asasasdasd

These black kids grow stupider by the day.

Arianna

first of let me clarify-i'm not a racist person

im not white or black.

But i really really think that black parents are to blame for this. Why have the child if you are going to run out of his life? first you ruined his life, and he in turn will ruin someone elses.

why cant we get out of this vicious cycle?

not to say that white parents arent fucked up, but its more often the blacks. then they want to get defensive and say oh this is racism.

well why do you all act that way?

Why have kids and throw them away for old grandparents to take care of (who by the way cant care for thereselves) ?

Goebbels

I love tha fact that the kid acts all cute in front of the judge "excuse me but are you 100 years old?" and during class he's like "aight nigga, give me yo stash bitch befo' I cut yo ass YaknowhatI'msayin? for real, for real"

roy

We had bullies like him when I was a kid. Thank god the worst bully got killed with his bitch when he was 16 (DWI incident, speeding, stolen car). This is the best we can hope for this bully.

Otherwise, this bully will end up working as a bouncer and career criminal in New York and we all know how this ends. I just hope his victim will not be my daughter.

Larry

8 year olds can take drugs and have sex, but suddenly when they kill someone they are innocent widdle babies? Please.

Kojak

This could have been the fault of whitey. It was probably a white person who designed a school bus with a non-lockable emergency brake.

marissa predacon

I blame rap music. All those suggestive lyrics like "sneak into the bus and release the brake, else you'll just be a wanksta fake"

Reg!

Ahhh, Gothamist racist talkbacks!

Kojak

Mcgruder's art from his comics and from the show are influenced by Japanese Anime.

Goebbels

do you guys read the boondocks by Aaron Mcgruder? that's what black kids are like but not as smart. what's up with the way mcgruger draws black people anyway? Big eyes, small noses and mouths. It's like he's never seen a black person before. I always thought the boondocks was written by a white guy making fun of black people but it's written by a black guy.

drcliffhuxtable

He needs to be adopted by Dr Cliff and Claire Huxtable.

the only way they'll change is to get them out of the druggin, killin, hustling environment.

of course, to them, it is like boot camp.

ever see a ghetto kid in the country?

never, unless they were adopted by white parents.

ever see ghetto kid's camping? never.

but they'll show you how to steal a car at age 6.

whatever, lock him up, then lock him up some more.

no skin off my back.

teddy

Yes, this may be politically incorrect thing to say but unfortunately it is true. Public housing projects for blacks may bring a lot of votes for dems but they are disastrous for black people (they'll be stuck there forever with black activists and politicians) and the society.

Kojak

"What he needs is to be taken away from black people and adopted by some white parents."

lol Right. We don't need another Carlton Banks

Dave H.

I remember a sequence of strips from Bill Waterson's "Calvin & Hobbes" where Calvin removes the safety break from his mom's car and it rolls down the driveway, across the street, and into a ditch. He was such an out-of-control psychopath. And what, talking to that stuffed animal? I think he should have been institutionalized.

I know a lot of kids that age--and yeah, some are out of control for some reason. Maybe their parents don't pay enough attention (and I'm saying that with a big MAYBE) or perhaps they're going through a "phase". But I can say that most kids don't realize the full consequences of their actions at that age. Someone dying, as in dead forever? My nephew thinks dinosaurs were contemporaneous with when I was a kid, a murky era defined as "olden times."

I could not be characterized as a bleeding heart liberal, but this situation calls for more help than punishment. This kid needs supervision, not punishment.

abortie

What he needs is to be taken away from black people and adopted by some white parents. Black people can only function properly when they are away from other black people. If you ever see a group of young black children together you will know what I'm talking about. Something in their DNA sets off a social cataclysm. So he needs white parents to be inculcated with reason.

Kojak

Juvenile boot camp will have the same effect on him as prison would; He'll learn shit from the other fucked up kids and become a menace to society.

What he needs is a spanking. And it might be a good idea to take away his after dinner desert privileges for a month.

Arianna

i agree with you DD- when i was 8, i knew the difference between right and wrong. he obviously knew that he was going to damage something by getting in that bus. i read in another article that he was a bully, he would throw things at his peers.

i believe that he needs to go to a juvenile boot camp for a LONG time.

if they let him get away now, who knows what he will become when he grows up.

he should learn now that there are serious consequences when you mess with things you shouldnt be playing with.

DD

LittleJohn's little brother? 8 year old should know what they are doing.

ann

i dont believe that the kid should be charged, however he should be disciplined, and this should be a lesson for all kids.

god bless the sadiq family and help them through this time

Kinsey

It's so fucked up that the ny post is calling him "Wild Child" that's so fucking racist. Just cause he's black and wears an oversized tshirt they have the need to say wild child which alludes to the fact that he's from the jungle, i.e a monkey. so goddam racist.

Jen

So sad. It obviously wasn't done with malicious intent, so what would charging the child solve? And if the victim's family objects, wouldn't it be appropriate to follow their wishes?

Kojak

Shut Up kel

This transcends race since kids of any race can be just as dumb.

kel

I knew it. black kid.

Reg!

Ha! According to the comments yesterday, apparently charging him teaches all the other 8 year olds a lesson because obviously they watch the news, and having to go to their friends funeral isn't enough of a life lesson.

Drew

Does charging and 8 year old for this solve ANYTHING? I don't think he knew what he was doing. Did he even understand he was releasing the brake? I doubt it. Its a shame about the little girl though.