55-year-old Durham woman accused of attacking child on school bus

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- A Durham woman is learning a hard lesson- stay off of public school buses.

Kathy Hunter-Self, 55, claimed she was trying to help students who were being bullied by a 9-year-old but now she is the one in trouble.

The Durham Public School district said she attacked a boy, with the initials KC, inside his school bus. Authorities said Hunter-Self has been charged with assault.

Autumn Hovey, a mother of two, lives in the neighborhood and catches public transportation near the school bus stop. "I think that's really terrible to have her hit kids. There's really no excuse," said Hovey.

According to a search warrant, the incident happened at the intersection of Old Oxford Road and Dearborn Street around 8:00 a.m. on Feb. 19.

Thirty seconds into the scuffle, the school bus driver intervened.

After the alleged assault, Hunter-Self, who is not related to the boy, called the boy's principal stating KC hit her first, and then she hit him. The principal told authorities Hunter-Self claimed, "She did not hit KC hard."

Hunter-Self has also claimed before the altercation occurred, she saw KC cursing and hitting students at the bus stop, but the sheriff's detective reviewing the bus's security camera video saw something different.

The detective said Hunter-Self was seen getting on the bus and, "reaches out and grabs the boys chin." The detective also noted that during the tussle she "takes hold of both of the boy's wrists," and "continues to pull him back down the aisle to face her."

The investigator concluded, "at no time did I witness the boy strike the female in the video."

"If you had the inclination to get on a bus and try to school a kid yourself, then you should have just as much inclination to call the police," Hovey said.

ABC11 visited Hunter-Self's home for her response to the aftermath but no one answered.

Durham Public Schools said the woman was not authorized to get on the bus.

North Carolina law says it is illegal for an individual to trespass on a public school bus.

The woman has also been charged with damaging personal property.