Families of several profoundly autistic children who were allegedly abused by a former Littleton school bus aide are upset about delays in the criminal case.

The latest court date in the case against Kiarra Jones, 29, was postponed for a third time this week, despite the parents’ strong objection.

Eighteenth Judicial Deputy District Attorney Aven Rose said that the parents “wish to see the case go forward.” Defense attorneys needed more time to watch surveillance videos.

Some of those parents were in the courtroom for what was supposed to be a preliminary hearing, where a judge determines if there’s enough evidence to send the case to trial, and plea for several of the 13 charges against Jones. The charges range in date from Jan. 1 to March 28, 2024, and involve three children who rode the Littleton Public Schools bus to and from The Joshua School at 2303 E. Dartmouth Ave.

For some of the children, that bus ride was 45 minutes each way. 

One of those students, 10-year-old Dax Vestal, was shown in a surveillance video sitting in a Littleton Public School bus seat next to Jones during an incident of pushing and shoving. His mother, Jess Vestal, is upset that the former aid is out on bond.

“Extending the time in which she’s held responsible for what we all know she did is just the twisting of the knife after the fact,” said Vestal. 

She said that Dax and the other two children who were allegedly abused are non-verbal and, thus, were not able to express to their parents what was happening. 

Attempts to reach Jones were unsuccessful. 

Jones was arrested in April and charged with eight felony counts of third-degree assault of an at-risk person and two misdemeanor counts of child abuse involving two children.

Since then, three more charges were added against Jones, including two new counts child abuse charge, and one for third degree assault, a Class 6 felony.

She is accused of hitting one child, stomping on the feet of another enough to break bones, and pulling a child’s hair. 

Jones was the paraprofessional assigned to the special needs bus by Littleton Public Schools to keep children safe, according to the arrest affidavit. 

All three children no longer attend The Joshua School, which contracts with Littleton Public Schools to educate special needs children. 

The Joshua School and Littleton Public Schools did not respond to a request for comment. 

Jones’ next court date is Jan. 27 in Arapahoe County.