School Bus Driver Arrested After ‘Kidnapping’ Students

A Massachusetts community is reeling after a school bus driver was arrested and charged with kidnapping and child endangerment following deeply disturbing allegations involving young children on his route.

Police in Grafton say 54-year-old Redi Gace of Worcester was taken into custody Tuesday night after investigators determined he allegedly deviated from his assigned bus routes, made unauthorized stops, and tampered with onboard surveillance equipment while transporting students.

According to Grafton School Superintendent James Cummings, Gace was driving with children on board when he allegedly left his approved route and stopped in locations he was not authorized to enter.

Court documents reveal that on two separate occasions in December, Gace is accused of disabling or blocking the school bus’s cameras while only one child was onboard. Investigators say that during those times, he allegedly drove the child to an isolated road that was not part of his route.

The alleged victims include a 5-year-old non-verbal boy and a 3-year-old girl.

The case first came to light just days before Christmas, when a parent contacted authorities after her son was dropped off approximately 30 minutes late. The bus company, AA Transportation, launched an internal investigation and shared its findings with the school district and police, requesting further law enforcement review.

When the company attempted to examine the bus’s surveillance footage, police say the interior camera was not operational and the front-facing camera had been covered. However, the bus’s GPS system was still functioning — and that data raised immediate red flags.

According to police, GPS records show the bus pulling onto Abby Road, a partially developed cul-de-sac, where it remained parked for more than 20 minutes. Authorities say audio captured the young boy crying, though the sound reportedly cut out about 10 minutes after the bus was shut off.

As investigators reviewed additional GPS data, they uncovered another incident days earlier in which Gace allegedly took a 3-year-old girl to the same location, again without any explained or legitimate reason. Police believe the camera tampering may have begun weeks before the first reported incident.

Neighbors who live near Abby Road expressed shock after learning what allegedly occurred so close to their homes.

“We are in shock and kind of disturbed by the news,” one resident said.

Police noted that Gace was employed by AA Transportation but was not assigned to general student transportation routes. He now faces multiple serious charges, including two counts of kidnapping, reckless endangerment of a child under 18, misleading a police investigation, and tampering with evidence. Authorities say the investigation remains ongoing and additional charges may be filed.

Gace was arraigned Wednesday in Westborough District Court and is being held on $50,000 bail. If released, he would be placed under house arrest with GPS monitoring.

Superintendent Cummings said the district is in direct contact with the affected families and is providing support and resources as needed while working closely with the Grafton Police Department and AA Transportation.

AA Transportation said in a statement that Gace had passed all required state and federal background checks and was certified by the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles school bus division.