A kindergarten teacher in Florida was arrested after school security cameras captured him grabbing a young student, dragging her, and pushing her against a playground fence.
St. Cloud Police Department said: Kathryn Garcia He was arrested by the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office on Friday, October 2nd and charged with child abuse.
Garcia was arrested a day after the alleged incident occurred on Thursday, October 1.
According to the police report reviewed by Click Orlando, authorities said the incident started after the student became upset after recess ended and sat on the floor refusing to move.
Surveillance cameras documented the incident, showing Garcia bending over and grabbing the child’s left arm. He then aggressively picked him up off the ground, but the boy fell back to the ground. Garcia made the situation worse by kicking his legs, grabbing him by his left arm and dragging him across the concrete.
The alleged attack continued with Garcia placing both hands around the boy’s neck from behind and lifting him off the ground. He then placed his right hand under her chin, extended his left arm outward, and pushed her against the fence.
Garcia then struck the boy in the upper torso, according to the police report.
Two teachers who witnessed the incident reported the situation to the school administration.
One of the witnesses told investigators he saw Garcia pick the boy up off the ground several times and drop him more than once. He added that Garcia then kicked the boy to the ground, then grabbed him by the neck with both hands and forced him to stand. The witness later said he saw Garcia push him against the fence.
A second witness testified that he saw Garcia push the student and grab his neck to lift him off the ground.
The incident was reported to the school administration and the Osceola County School Board the same day, and Garcia was immediately removed from the classroom.
A math teacher at a Florida high school was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor after the student’s parents suspected an “inappropriate relationship,” authorities said. Special Victims Unit agents with the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office arrested Kirsten Rose, a student at Cocoa Beach Middle/High School, on Friday, April 10. […]
Staff later reported the incident to the Florida Department of Children and Families, and the student’s parents were contacted about what happened.
The child was examined by the school nurse, who cleared him. Meanwhile, his mother filled out a written statement and signed the prosecution statement.
After his arrest, Garcia told investigators he had difficulty lifting the boy from his arms after he refused to stand up at the end of recess. He claimed that he did not remember grabbing his neck and refused to give a written statement.
Garcia was charged with child abuse, simple assault or battery, in violation of Florida State Statute 827.03(2c).
It is not yet clear whether Garcia entered a plea or sought legal counsel following his arrest. St. Cloud Police Department did not immediately respond We‘ request for comment on updates to the case.
If you or someone you know is experiencing child abuse, call or text the Child Helpline at 1-800-422-4453.