Fort Worth police reportedly investigating school bus incident involving 8-year-olds

Police are investigating a report that an Eagle Mountain-Saginaw first-grader was sexually assaulted by two other boys on a school bus en route to their northwest Fort Worth elementary school.

All the boys said to be involved are 8 years old, according to a report by NBC 5. The first-grader attends Northbrook Elementary, the TV station reported, citing his mother.

She told the station that her son had complained recently of being bullied but that she never thought it would become so serious.

“This escalated from a bullying to a full-blown sexual assault,” NBC 5 quoted her as saying.

On the bus ride to school Thursday morning, the two other boys pulled down his pants, performed a sexual act and beat him up, the mother told the TV station.

The mother’s name was not given because it could help identify a sexual assault victim, something that most media outlets refrain from doing.

“This is a scrape mark from when he was punched and kicked in the stomach,” she said, pointing to two red marks on her son’s stomach. “They said, ‘Tell anybody, and I’ll hurt you again, and you’ll be in trouble, too.’ ”

Sgt. Steve Enright, a Fort Worth police spokesman, confirmed to the Star-Telegram that an investigation is underway.

“A report has been filed and is assigned to the crimes against children unit,” he said a media release. “It is under investigation, and no further information is being released.”

Enright also noted that in Texas, a person younger than 10 cannot be legally culpable for a crime.

“Where is the magic line? That is the question,” the boy’s mother told NBC 5. “And what is the degree of crime that they can commit before they say, ‘You know what? Maybe you do need some sort of court intervention.’ ”

The case also has been reported to Child Protective Services, a school district spokeswoman said in an email to the Star-Telegram.

She said an adult monitor has been assigned to the bus. She declined to discuss the district’s punishment options but said, “The district is working closely with all parties and appropriate action is being taken in accordance with the student code of conduct.”

The boy’s mother wants the other two students to be expelled, NBC 5 reported.

In a media release, district spokeswoman Megan Overman said: “As soon as school and district personnel were made aware of the report, we responded immediately and have put every measure into place that we legally can to protect and support those involved in this matter. We have been in ongoing communication with the parents, police, bus company, campus administrators and all appropriate authorities.”

This story was originally published February 20, 2016 at 7:51 PM with the headline "Fort Worth police reportedly investigating school bus incident involving 8-year-olds."