LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KATV/CNN NEWSOURCE) — A teacher’s aide in Little Rock, Arkansas is on paid leave from his job after a special needs student in his class came home with a black eye.
It all started with a 12-year-old special needs student who came home from school on Nov. 15 with a swollen face and bruises. Initially, he told his mother, Maria Alba, that he fell, but later claimed a teacher’s aid at Cloverdale Middle School punched him.
On Tuesday, Alba, an attorney and the consulate of Mexico discussed the incident.
“We don’t know at this point, we now that there will be forensic evidence and I think that that will probably tell the story,” attorney Milton DeJesus said.
According to one police report, a teacher’s aid, identified as William Jarmon, is accused of hitting the student while in the bathroom. However, Jarmon’s version differs. In the report, Jarmon claims Alba’s son went to the bathroom, came out, then ran back in. That’s when jarmon reportedly went inside of the bathroom to take him back to class. Jarmon said he reached for his hand, held it and moved him toward the door.
“It is our position at this point that we want the system to work and essentially we’re very confident that the police will do a a thorough investigation,” DeJesus said. “We’re confident that the school system has taken this seriously and they will do their investigation as well.”
A school administrator reviewed surveillance footage near the bathroom area that shows the victim falling, using his hand to brace the impact, eventually touching the ground while Jarmon exits the bathroom.
In response to the allegations, Jarmon was place on paid leave.
DeJesus said they have not filed a lawsuit at this point because they’re waiting to see what doctors at Arkansas Children’s Hospital have to say about the injuries. The school says it also reported the incident to the child abuse hotline.
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