$5,000 Reward Offered: 8-Year-Old Injured in Shocking NJ Turnpike School Bus Attack
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
TEANECK, NJ — A community is rallying for justice after a baseball-sized rock was hurled through the window of a school bus Wednesday afternoon, leaving a third-grade student with a fractured skull. Teaneck officials are now offering a $5,000 cash reward for information—including dashcam footage—that leads to an arrest in what state police are calling an “aggravated assault.”
The incident occurred around 2:10 PM on January 7, 2026, on the northbound side of the New Jersey Turnpike near Exit 70A/B.
The Incident: A Class Trip Ends in Tragedy
The bus was transporting approximately 30 third graders from Yeshivat Noam, a private Jewish school in Paramus, who were returning from a field trip to the Liberty Science Center.
As the vehicle neared the Teaneck exit, a large rock smashed through a side window, striking an 8-year-old girl in the head. The impact was so severe it fractured her skull, requiring immediate emergency surgery at Hackensack University Medical Center.
“There were 30 crying kids,” said Teaneck Councilman Elie Katz, whose children also attended the school. “It’s so horrible… You had an 8-year-old enjoying a trip with friends, and now she’s undergoing treatment for a skull fracture.”
Investigation Update: Is Your Dashcam the Key?
New Jersey State Police are currently investigating, but the suspect remains at large. Local leaders Mayor Mark Schwartz and Councilman Elie Katz have pooled their personal funds to create the initial $5,000 reward.
How You Can Help:
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Check Your Cameras: If you were driving on I-95 North/NJ Turnpike near Teaneck between 1:30 PM and 2:15 PM on Wednesday, Jan. 7, your car’s cameras or dashcam may have captured the suspect on the side of the road.
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Submit a Tip: Call the State Police Troop “D” Newark Station Detective Bureau at (732) 441-4500, ext. 1401.
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Remain Anonymous: Tips can be submitted without providing your name.
The Road to Recovery
As of Friday, January 9, the young student—a Bergenfield resident—is in stable condition. Mayor Schwartz reported that doctors are pleased with her latest scans, and there is hope she may be discharged as early as next week.
While the motive remains unclear, the incident has left the Bergen County Jewish community “on edge.” Although the bus was not visibly marked with the school’s name, officials from Teach NJ emphasize the trauma caused to the families and children who witnessed the attack.
Safe Travels: School Support
Yeshivat Noam has deployed mental health and guidance professionals to support the students who were on the bus. “The safety and well-being of our students is our highest priority,” stated Rabbi Chaim Hagler, Head of School.
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Thank God she is ok
Person of interest placed under arrest.
For decades kids have considered it funny to swIng rocks or even bowling balls down from an overpass, so that they smash horizontally into the windows of vehicles passing beneath.
Is that what happened here?
No. It was an adult with a history of throwing rocks at vehicles.