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Disturbing Details Emerge About Bus Driver Who Allegedly Let Whittier Teen Die On Bus

WHITTIER (CBSLA.com)   —   It's been nearly two years since Paul Lee --  a Whittier teen with autism--  was left on a school bus on a sweltering day and later found dead.

New court documents reveal disturbing details about the driver.

KCAL 9's Peter Daut says it is alleged the driver was having sex with a co-worker at the time of the boy's death.

Body Found
(credit: CBS)

Attorneys for Paul Lee's family are calling the allegation  a major bombshell: A woman who worked with the bus driver testified she had sex with that bus driver the day the teen died, according to lawyers for the Lee family.

It's a shocking twist in the wrongful death lawsuit brought by the family of Hun Joon "Paul" Lee.

According to new court documents the driver who left the 19-year-old on the bus for about seven hours, Armando Ramirez, was having an affair that day with a married colleague.

"She told the Whittier police that she felt bad because while she and Ramirez were laughing and having sex, Paul Lee was left on the bus and died," according to a court document.

Bus Driver Gets 2 Years In Prison In Death Of Student With Special-Needs
Armando Abel Ramirez, 37, at a hearing in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Undated photo.

"I think she felt some sense of guilt for this occurring. She said she feels she had responsibility and that she shouldn't have been doing this," he added.

Panish represents Lee's family in their lawsuit against the school district and bus company, "Pupil Transportation Cooperative."
He says the woman also testified she and Ramirez had left work to have sex previously.

"It's terrible, it's horrific that these people could sacrifice someone's life to engage in this illicit activity," Panish said.

Ramirez pleaded guilty this year to a count of felony dependent adult abuse resulting in death, He was sentenced to two years in prison.

Memorial For Special Needs Student
(credit: CBS)

The "Paul Lee school bus safety law" now requires all school buses in California to be equipped with a child-safety alarm system in the back, which must be turned off by the bus driver, so that all seats are checked.

"So no family will ever have to go through this again," Panish said.

Daut called both the bus company and school district after business hours, and were unable to reach anyone for comment.

The civil trial is expected to begin next month.

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