A teacher’s aide in Central Florida has been arrested after police accused her of slapping a student for not following her instructions.
Ute Galloway, 61, was arrested by Eustis police on a charge of felony child abuse without serious bodily injury on Nov. 29, according to online jail records reviewed by PEOPLE.
Galloway was allegedly seen on surveillance cameras punching a 14-year-old Eustis Middle School student in the face while he was drawing in a classroom on Nov. 17, according to a police report cited by local news stations WESH, WOFL and WFTV.
The suspect allegedly became frustrated with the victim, who was participating in a drawing game with other children, over his use of an outline to draw a turkey, which she instructed the students not to use, according to the report.
The child reportedly told police that as Galloway continued to look at the draft, he “suddenly punched him in the face,” according to a police report cited by WOFL. The teacher’s assistant reportedly apologized after the alleged incident.
The Lake County School District told the student’s parents it would “address the situation” and monitor the situation, the report said. However, when school resumed after Thanksgiving break, the school still did not resume and Galloway continued to work there.
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When parents inquired about the status of the investigation, they were reportedly told that school officials could not provide those details, prompting the parents to contact local police and press charges against Galloway, according to the report.
In a statement released after Galloway’s arrest, a spokesperson for the Lake County School District told WFTV and WESH that she was “placed in a role without interacting with the students while they investigate, which is standard protocol.”
Galloway was booked into the Lake County Jail but has since been released on bond, jail records show. Her next court appearance is scheduled for December 27. It is not clear whether she entered a plea or hired a lawyer to speak on her behalf.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education