The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
A former teacher educational childcare facility teacher is facing charges after being accused of slapping a 2-year-old across the face in response to him spitting on her.
According to reports, on November 4, children at the Kiddie Academy of Greenwood were helping the teacher clean up when one of the toddlers began misbehaving. The youngster started creating more of a mess by throwing toys, so the woman asked him to help the other children pick up. The boy, who was reportedly also using foul language, did not do as she asked, but instead spit in her face. The teacher allegedly proceeded to slap him on the left side of his face before removing him from the classroom.
When the daycare director learned about the incident they fired the teacher from her position. The surveillance video was collected and reviewed, and it was reported that it showed the child spit on the woman before she allegedly slapped him and caused him to slam into a cabinet behind him. The Department of Child Services was notified about the situation. The authorities were notified, and they were given the footage of the event. While watching it, they noted that the teacher admitted to slapping the boy after he spit on her.
On January 20, the woman talked to a detective at her residence. She reportedly told them she did not strike the child hard enough to hurt him, and that it was a spontaneous reaction to him spitting on her.
The Johnson County Prosecutor’s Office reported that battery is legally defined as when an individual “intentionally touches another person in a rude or insulant or angry manner,” and decided the woman would face a charge of battery on a person less than 14 years old. She reportedly said that by definition, the youngster was guilty of battery against her when he spit on her.
If you or someone you love is suspected of an assault or battery offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.