A Parent’s Worst Nightmare”: Grafton Bus Driver Charged with Kidnapping After Disabling Cameras and Deviating from Route

By What’s Up Worcester Staff

GRAFTON, MA — A routine school bus ride turned into a criminal investigation this week after a 54-year-old driver was arrested and charged with kidnapping and reckless endangerment. The allegations detail a chilling pattern of behavior involving the deliberate disabling of safety cameras and unauthorized detours with vulnerable young children on board.

Redi Gace, of Worcester, faced a judge in Westborough District Court on Tuesday, where bail was set at $50,000. He stands accused of two counts of kidnapping, reckless endangerment of a child, misleading a police investigation, and tampering with evidence.

The Incident: December 22, 2025

The investigation began on December 23, when the Grafton Police Department received a report from the bus company, AA Transportation. A parent had called to report that their child, a 5-year-old nonverbal boy, arrived home 30 minutes late the previous day.

According to court documents, a review of the bus’s GPS and video data revealed a disturbing sequence of events:

• Tampering: The interior camera had been disabled, and a front-facing exterior camera was physically covered.
• The Detour: GPS data showed Gace deviating from his assigned route to make an unauthorized stop on Abby Road in Grafton.
• The Video Evidence: While the interior camera was down, a functioning exterior camera recorded audio of the child crying alone on the bus from 3:14 p.m. to 3:25 p.m. while the engine was turned off.
• The Conditions: The temperature that day was at or below freezing.

A Pattern of Behavior

Investigators dug deeper and found this was likely not an isolated incident. Police reviewed footage from December 4, which allegedly shows Gace accessing a compartment on the bus to disconnect the interior camera.

During that trip, a 3-year-old girl was kept on the bus after Gace deviated from his route. The child can be heard on video saying she “wanted to go home.” She was eventually dropped off six minutes late.

The Cover-Up

Police allege that Gace engaged in a concerted effort to hide his actions.

• Lying to Parents: He reportedly told a parent that the 30-minute delay was due to another student being picked up late.
• Lying to Police: Gace initially claimed he stopped on Abby Road to call his attorney in Albania, citing a time zone difference. Investigators subpoenaed his phone records, which showed no such call was made.
• Denying Location: He later claimed he had not been on Abby Road in two years, a statement directly contradicted by the bus’s GPS tracking.

Community Response

Gace has been fired by AA Transportation. In a statement, Grafton Police acknowledged the fear this arrest causes for families: “We are working closely with Grafton Public Schools and AA Transportation to ensure student safety.”

---

🔍 The W.U.W. Verification Box

At What’s Up Worcester, we don’t just report—we verify. Here is the data behind this story:

• Suspect: Redi Gace, 54, Worcester (Fired by AA Transportation).
• Charges: Kidnapping (2 counts), Reckless Endangerment, Tampering with Evidence.
• Victims: 5-year-old male (nonverbal); 3-year-old female.
• Key Evidence: GPS data confirming Abby Road stop; audio of child crying; phone records disproving alibi. (Source: Grafton PD / Court Filings)
• Court Status: Arraigned Jan. 13 in Westborough District Court; $50k bail.

About The Author