The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
A Florida elementary school teacher is facing charges after allegedly mistreating a student with disabilities at an elementary school in Palm Bay.
According to reports, on August 22, a 41-year-old teacher at Sunrise Elementary School in Palm Bay attempted to move a student, who was described as low-functioning and only slightly verbal. When the child did not want to cooperate, the teacher allegedly pushed her. The girl threw herself on the floor and the teacher allegedly grabbed the youngster and pinned her arms down while straddling her. Afterward, she reportedly dragged the student by her wrists across the classroom toward a bathroom and held the door shut so the child was unable to get out.
After the authorities were notified, officers from the City of Palm Bay Police Department went to the school to investigate. They reported that several people talked to them and said they witnessed the incident, and that they had concerns about how the teacher treated the students. They also told the officers that the woman put other children in the bathroom to punish them.
The woman was taken into custody and booked into the Brevard County Jail. She is facing preliminary charges of child abuse and false imprisonment. According to records, she is currently being held in lieu of a $10,000 bond.
According to the affidavit, this is not the first time the teacher was accused of treating the girl badly. They reported that there was a previous incident where the woman allegedly wrapped the student in a foam mat, and she was unable to move for several minutes.
The school placed the suspect on administrative leave, and the parents of the child expressed their desire to pursue criminal charges.
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