A nurse charged with the care of a Morris County man with muscular dystrophy and autism, has been sentenced to 90 days in jail after the 19-year-old’s death on a school bus.
Emilio J. Rivera, 30, of Carlstadt, will surrender his nursing license following his guilty plea to charges of endangering another person and neglect of a disabled person, the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office said on Monday.
The sentence, handed down Friday by state Superior Court Judge Ralph Amirata, also includes three years of probation, the office said.
The charges followed the 2023 death of Matthew Rossi of East Hanover, who lived with both muscular dystrophy and autism. He died after his airway was obstructed with mucus during a bus ride home from school, according to a lawsuit filed by his family against Rivera and the bus company.
Rossi was in good health when he headed off to school the morning of Feb. 10, 2023. But he suffered respiratory distress on his ride home that afternoon that authorities said was not adequately addressed by his nurse.
“Rivera was legally responsible for the care of Matthew, and neglected to perform certain acts necessary for the victim’s care which created a substantial risk of serious bodily injury,” stated the joint press release from the Prosecutor’s Office and the East Hanover Police Department.
Police and emergency personnel were called to Rossi’s home “on a report of an unconscious male,” who had “just arrived home on the bus from his school. EMS personnel and East Hanover Police officers attempted CPR and other lifesaving intervention. The victim was subsequently pronounced deceased,” the statement reads.
Up to 45 days of Rivera’s sentence may be served as part of the Morris County Sheriff’s Labor Assistance Program; he was ordered to have no contact with the Rossi family.
More: School bus safety bill focused on special education students clears NJ Senate
There has been a heightened focus on improving transportation safety for students with disabilities in the wake of Rossi’s death and other recent tragedies on New Jersey school buses. The state has introduced a new training program for school bus drivers and aides, and proposals in the state Legislature seek further reforms.
Assembly bill A-5142, currently under review by the chamber’s Education Committee, would require the installation of video cameras and GPS units on buses and would make it mandatory for staff to call 911 during an emergency. Another proposal, S-3447, would create a special education transportation task force to standardize safety practices and improve accountability; it passed the state Senate unanimously last month.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ nurse sentenced in school bus death of disabled student