Police arrested a Manatee County School District employee after he allegedly threw a ball in the face of an autistic student at Rogers Garden-Bullock Elementary School in Bradenton.
According to law enforcement officials, the district employee had a history of inappropriate, overly harsh encounters with students prior to this. He now faces a charge of child abuse without great harm. The 40-year-old employee was attempting to silence the five-year-old boy, who was crying on the playground at the school. Witnesses say the man hit the boy with the ball four times, knocking him into a fence.
A 58-year-old teacher also allegedly witnessed the incident and did not provide proper notification to authorities. Charges against her were still pending an investigation, according to information released by the police department.
Both employees have since been removed from the school, and the district stated it would cooperate fully with law enforcement officials. The employee who threw the ball has already entered a plea of not guilty.
Abuse in schools can result in liability claims
Any time there is an incident at school in which a student is abused by faculty or staff, there is a possibility the district may be subject to liability and personal injury claims. The defendant in such a case depends on the circumstances of the incident, but parents have the right to file lawsuits on behalf of children who have been abused or injured while at school.
For further guidance and advice on proceeding with an injury claim against a school or organization, consult a skilled Bradenton personal injury lawyer with Goldman, Babboni, Fernandez, Murphy & Walsh.