Police: School bus driver kissed 15-year-old girl alone on bus

Police say a school bus driver kissed a 15-year-old Patchogue-Medford School District student who was alone on his bus.

News 12 Staff

Mar 25, 2019, 9:26 AM

Updated 1,858 days ago

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Police say a school bus driver kissed a 15-year-old Patchogue-Medford School District student who was alone on his bus.
It allegedly happened last Tuesday morning along Main Street in Patchogue.
Police say 62-year-old Joel Cedeno, of Shirley, asked the 15-year-old girl for a hug. Police say she offered a handshake, but then Cedeno kissed her.
The girl reported the alleged incident to her mother, who got Patchogue-Medford schools and Suffolk police to investigate. Cedeno was arrested Sunday evening.
"Our students are our primary concern and incidents of this nature are not tolerated," Superintendent Michael Hynes said in a statement on the district's website.
Robert Macedonio, an attorney representing Montauk Bus, says Cedeno worked for the company for years without incident. He also says there are cameras on the bus, although it's not known what was captured on the footage.
No one answered the door at Cedeno's Shirley home. But neighbors say they were shocked by the allegations.
Montauk Bus says Cedeno passed all required background checks before getting behind the wheel. He has been terminated from the company.
Cedeno is scheduled to be arraigned in May on a charge of endangering the welfare of a child.
Montauk Bus transports about 20,000 students daily.


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