Florida teacher, aide allegedly tied 7-year-old autistic child to a chair
02/07/2024 2:10 pm PST
BRADENTON, Fla. (TCD) -- A 31-year-old elementary school teacher and 39-year-old teacher’s aide stand accused of tying a 7-year-old boy to a chair last week.
According to the Bradenton Police Department, on Friday, Feb. 2, video from the playground of G.D. Rogers Garden-Bullock Elementary School captured Exceptional Student Education teacher Carina Chindamo and aide Taylor Internicola allegedly "tying the wrists of the boy with a nylon walking rope, a device used to teach students to walk in line."
Chindamo and Internicola reportedly restrained the nonverbal student by wrapping the rope around a chair leg. The victim allegedly sat on the ground behind the chair for about an hour.
According to police, Chindamo and Internicola were seen on surveillance footage sitting on the chair at times, "appearing to use their weight to keep the child from getting free."
Police detectives obtained arrest warrants for Chindamo and Internicola for false imprisonment. As of Feb. 6, Chindamo is in custody.
The victim’s mother told WFLA-TV, "It’s really upsetting me because my child, like I said, is autistic, he’s nonverbal. He can’t tell mommy what’s happening, what’s not happening. All he can do, you know, is just be himself."
In a statement obtained by the Bradenton Herald, the school said, "The District has been fully cooperating with law enforcement throughout this active investigation. All of our protocols have been followed, including the employees’ removal from the classroom immediately after the incident was reported and reassignment to other District locations where students are not present."
The school district reportedly called the alleged incident "disturbing and reprehensible."
The investigation is ongoing, and police are working to determine whether there are additional victims.
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