Former Boston school bus driver indicted after Hyde Park crash that killed 5-year-old kindergartener

Charges filed nearly a year after fatal after-school drop-off

A former Boston Public Schools school bus driver has been indicted in connection with the April 28, 2025 death of 5-year-old kindergartener Lens Arthur Joseph, who was struck by a school bus during an afternoon drop-off in Hyde Park.

The driver, Jean Charles, 39, of Brockton, faces counts including involuntary manslaughter, reckless motor vehicular homicide and negligent motor vehicle homicide. Prosecutors said an arraignment will be scheduled at a later date.

What investigators say happened on April 28, 2025

The crash occurred at about 2:45 p.m. on Washington Street near Glenwood Avenue, as children were being dropped off from school. Lens Joseph, an Up Academy Dorchester student, was taken to Boston Children’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Officials have said the incident was recorded on the bus’s dashboard camera. Public details of the video have been limited, but the recording has been referenced in civil litigation filed by the child’s family.

Employment status and credential issues raised after the crash

City and school officials previously confirmed the driver had been operating with an expired state-required credential at the time of the crash. The driver had been employed on Boston’s school transportation routes since May 2023 and had been driving for the contractor responsible for BPS transportation services for about two years when the fatal crash occurred.

After the crash, the driver was placed on leave. He later resigned on May 14, 2025, shortly before a termination hearing was set to begin.

Independent review of transportation safety and contract oversight

In the weeks following the death, the City of Boston and Boston Public Schools launched an independent review focused on school transportation safety and contract performance. The review examined policies, operational practices and oversight mechanisms related to the private contractor providing bus service for the district.

The resulting report documented concerns about recordkeeping and accident reporting processes, staffing of safety and training functions, and the effectiveness of contract administration and accountability tools. The report also described reforms recommended after the April 2025 crash and said changes would be adopted by city and school officials.

Parallel civil litigation and the criminal case timeline

The child’s family has pursued a civil lawsuit connected to the crash. The civil case and the criminal case are separate proceedings with different standards of proof and different potential outcomes.

• April 28, 2025: Fatal crash in Hyde Park during an afternoon school drop-off.
• May 23, 2025: City and school officials announce an independent transportation safety review.
• March 2026: Grand jury indictment returned against the former driver; arraignment to be scheduled.

The indictment marks the first publicly announced criminal charging decision tied to the April 2025 crash, as broader questions about safety procedures, credential monitoring and contractor oversight continue to shape the policy response.