Shocking video emerges showing bus aide slapping six-year-old US girl with autism

A shocking video that appears to show a bus aide repeatedly slapping a 6-year-old girl with autism has outraged her family.

CNN reports that in the surveillance-camera footage, the aide allegedly strikes the little girl twice as she screams while riding to school in New Lenox, Chicago.

Nicholas Rushing said his daughter Kaylee is non-verbal. According to CNN, he found out about the slaps when the superintendent of the local school district contacted him and asked him to review the footage.

"It broke my heart," he said.

Kaylee in the bus during the incident. Photo / CNN

Rushing said the footage showed the aide had been denying Kaylee her personal space throughout the bus ride, CNN reported.

When Kaylee spat on the woman, she reacted by allegedly slapping her in the face, he said.

"She is an awesome kid and she is super sweet and for this to happen as a dad it almost feels like I failed her. I don't think I have ever been more mad in my life," he said, according to CNN.

Mother Madeline Norley said the footage "just makes me want to cry".

"To be honest with you, as a mum, just seeing that, it's disgusting," she said.

Kaylee did not suffer any physical injuries, but her father said it had affected how she responds to strangers.

"It kind of changed her personality on things," he said. "She doesn't want anything to do with people she doesn't know."

New Lenox police are reviewing the video as part of the investigation.