The boy suffered facial injuries during the morning attack as students waited for a bus to Ratcliffe Elementary School.
HENRICO, Va. — A 47-year-old Virginia woman has been charged with assault and battery after police said a 9-year-old boy was attacked while waiting for his school bus in Henrico County, leaving the child with facial injuries that required hospital treatment.
The attack happened around 7:30 a.m. Oct. 16 at a bus stop near Blue Stone Drive and Cool Lane, where children were waiting for transportation to Ratcliffe Elementary School. School officials said a woman described as a stranger approached the group and physically assaulted one of the students as the bus was arriving. Henrico County police identified the woman as Marie Tulette Marsh of Henrico. Authorities have not publicly identified the child because he is a minor.
Police officers responding to the bus stop found the boy with what the department described as obvious injuries to his face. He was taken to a hospital for treatment. Police later said his injuries were not considered life-threatening and that he was expected to recover. Officials have not released additional details about his medical condition.
A nearby resident told local television station WTVR that he heard the boy screaming for help and looked outside to see a woman striking the child. The witness said he ran from his home, confronted the woman and helped the boy reach safety. The resident then called 911. His account provides additional detail about the attack, though police have not publicly released a full sequence of everything that happened before officers arrived.
Another resident, Shante Kearney, told WTVR that she saw the injured boy surrounded by police after the attack. She said the severity of his visible facial injuries initially made her think he had been struck by a vehicle. Police have described his injuries without releasing graphic details, and the child’s family has not been publicly identified in reports reviewed for this story.
Police arrested Marsh after the incident. Court records cited by local news organizations show she appeared before a judge Oct. 19 and was being held without bond. She faces a misdemeanor assault and battery charge. The charge is an allegation, and Marsh has not been convicted in connection with the case. Authorities have not publicly announced a motive for the alleged attack or explained why the boy was targeted.
Ratcliffe Elementary Principal Joy Reed notified families after the incident and described the woman as a stranger who approached students at the bus stop. Reed said school counselors, teachers and administrators were supporting children who ride the bus and could have been affected by what happened. She described the incident as isolated and said she planned to visit the bus stop during the following week to reassure students and monitor conditions there.
WTVR reported that Reed and a Henrico police officer were at the bus stop Tuesday morning while children boarded their bus. Some parents and neighbors told local reporters they were concerned about safety following the assault. Police and school officials have not announced a broader threat to Ratcliffe Elementary students, and officials have continued to characterize the attack as an isolated event.
Neighbors told local news organizations that Marsh had been seen in the area before, including near the bus stop, but authorities have not released information establishing why she was there on the morning of the attack. When WTVR asked about previous police contact involving Marsh, a police spokesperson said the department could not provide details about an arrestee’s past. No verified evidence explaining what led to the alleged assault had been released as of Friday.
The case is now moving through Henrico County court. Online court records cited by multiple local news outlets show Marsh is scheduled for another hearing Dec. 14. Police had not announced additional charges or a motive, while school officials continued providing support to students affected by the incident.
Author note: Last updated October 23, 2026.