NJ girl ‘struggled violently’ while being strangled on bus

A New Jersey girl who was strangled by her wheelchair harness on a school bus “struggled violently for her life” before losing consciousness — but the bus monitor was wearing earbuds and apparently unaware that she was in distress, according to police.

Surveillance video captured Fajr Atiya Williams, 6, in the back of the bus during the fateful July 17 ride to an extended school year program in Franklin Township, NJ.com reported.

The special-needs, nonverbal girl slumped against her four-point harness when the bus hit a few bumps at 8:44 a.m., the outlet reported, citing a criminal complaint.

She “appeared to be moving her mouth at that point in the video,” officials said.

At 8:46 a.m, the harness tightened around Fajr’s neck and for the next two minutes and 47 seconds as she “struggled violently for her life, flailing her arms and legs. On at least two occasions, (the girl) made a shriek or gasp and at one point kicked the window of the bus,” according to the complaint.

Bus monitor Amanda Davila, 27, only realized something was wrong when they arrived at Claremont Elementary School at 9:02 a.m., more than 14 minutes after Fajr became unconscious, according to the report.

She then began to unstrap the floor restraints on the wheelchair and asked for a school staff member to help, officials reportedly said.

“At 9:02:58 a.m. a teacher entered the bus and tended to (Fajr), but appeared to not yet realize the dire nature of the situation,” the complaint states, according to NJ.com.

“At 9:04:00 a.m. the teacher stated that she was unsure if (Fajr) was breathing. At that point additional staff was summoned onto the bus and CPR began at 9:06:40 a.m.,” it adds.

The girl was taken to a local hospital, where she remained in intensive care until she was pronounced dead on Wednesday, officials said.

It also has emerged that Davila secured the wheelchair to a floor hook on the bus but didn’t use the lap belt and ankle restraints on it, according to NJ.com.

Davila sat directly behind the driver and could be seen in the video staring at her phone until a third and final student boarded at 8:42 a.m., at which point she “possibly” glanced in Fajr’s direction, officials said.

The New Brunswick woman, who was found to be “in violation of policies and procedures” by using ear buds and her phone, was charged with manslaughter and child endangerment.

She is being held in the Somerset County Jail.

“She did not deserve this, to be taken away from us in such a way that had nothing to do with her condition,” Fajr’s mother Namjah Nash told WABC last week.

Her daughter suffered from a rare chromosome disability called Emanuel Syndrome.

Fajr’s dad Wali Williams has blasted the bus company, Montauk Transit LLC of Somerset, after the tragic death.

Company President John Mensch has expressed his condolences to the family.

“All of our employees know that the safety of children we transport is our top priority, which is why we are fully engaged in the law enforcement investigation and support any punishment that the justice system determines appropriate for the bus monitor who has been arrested,” he said told The Post in an emailed statement.

Franklin Township Schools Superintendent John Ravally also offered his condolences.

“Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with this student’s family and friends. The matter is part of an ongoing investigation,” he said in a statement.