Autistic teenager on supervised trip attacked sleeping three-month-old baby in his pram and clawed at his face - leaving him bruised and bleeding 

A mother has described her horror after an autistic teenager attacked her three-month-old baby son in his pram, leaving his face scratched and bloody.

Janet-da-Silva, 30, a mother-of-two, said she was getting off a bus in Denaby Main, South Yorkshire, with her son Gabriel Jones and her mother when the attack took place last Wednesday.

She said three men were walking towards her when suddenly one launched himself forward, clawing at Gabriel's face.

Janet-da-Silva, 30, a mother-of-two, was climbing off a bus when a teenager launched himself at her son Gabriel's pram, scratching at his face (pictured right with a scratch on his cheek and below his left eye)

It later emerged that the 17-year-old was a pupil at a nearby special needs school who was out walking with two carers.

Ms da-Silva said: 'He shoved both hands in and clawed Gabriel’s face. He could have blinded him.

'I screamed: “What the hell are you doing?” Then he stood up, looked at me and laughed.

'Gabriel was screaming out and I saw blood on his face and I started screaming.

'The other two men then grabbed the guy on either arm and stood him up against a wall. Neither of them said anything to me, I didn’t know who they were or where they were from.

'It happened so fast I didn’t have time to stop him.'

Despite Ms da-Silva asking the men to stop, they turned their backs and walked away.

It later emerged that the boy was a 17-year-old pupil with autism who studied at nearby Fullerton House School, and had been on a walk with two carers

She added: 'They wouldn’t listen to me or stop. One of them said: “We’ve got to get him away before he gets more angry and violent."

'I kept asking them where they were going but no-one gave me any information.'

Ms da-Silva left baby Gabriel to be comforted by grandmother Debbie Rojas Marinero and followed the men, eventually seeing them going into Fullerton House School.

The institution caters from teenagers with learning difficulties. The pupil in question is said to have complex needs arising from his autism and has been at the school for some time.

A spokesman for the school said that both carers have been suspended and an internal investigation is underway.

The spokesman said: 'Due to the complexity of his disability he does not have the mental capacity to be charged.'

Chris McSharry, chief executive of the Hesley Group which runs Fullerton House said: 'This is an incredibly unfortunate incident and my thoughts are with the baby and his family.'

Ms da-Silva said she has been left afraid of going out with baby Gabriel following the attack, which took place last Wednesday (pictured, the road where the attack took place)

However, Ms da-Silva said: 'I was disgusted by their attitude. I understand people need their freedom and sunshine but they knew the teenager was violent so why was he not walking within the school premises?'

She has now been left scared to go out with Gabriel. 'It was the worst day of my life,' she added. 'It’s broken me. I pray Gabriel does not remember but unfortunately we will.'

A South Yorkshire Police spokesman said they were aware of the incident and no arrests had been made. Any decision on a prosecution would rest with the Crown Prosecution Service.