Adelaide teen on autism spectrum afraid to leave home after bus assault
An Adelaide teenager on the autism spectrum says he is now afraid to leave his home after he was assaulted and robbed on a public bus.
The 18-year-old victim, who did not want to be named, said he was travelling from Munno Para Interchange to Blakeview, in Adelaide’s north, at 5pm on Saturday when a group of four young people boarded the bus.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Adelaide teen’s fears after brutal bus assault.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.“They came up to me saying, ‘Give us your shoes’ and I’m like, ‘Am I actually being jumped right now?’ and then he hit me in the face,” the teenager said.
“I was scared, I didn’t know what to do because of my disabilities. I didn’t know what was happening.”
The 18-year-old said no other passenger nor the bus driver intervened to stop the assault.
“My friends were screaming to get them off me, but they didn’t (get off),” he said.
The teen called his mother for help with a friend’s phone and told her his location.
She left her home frantically trying to track down the bus.
When she boarded and approached the suspects, they ran off with the victim’s shoes, necklace and phone.
The 18-year-old is now too traumatised to leave his house alone.
“Is it going to happen again or something? Am I going to be safe going out now?,” he questioned.
South Australia Police is investigating the incident and officers have spoken to one person of interest.
The victim’s mother said it would take her son a while to mentally recover.
“You can’t watch your children 24/7, but you just want them to be safe.
“People are getting away with it, they’re getting slaps on the wrist, they’re getting out, they’re doing it again. It’s just shocking,” she said.
Originally published on 7NEWS
