Fw: 10-Year-Old Girl Arrested For Kicking Teachers - Bus Driver Charged with Assaulting Autistic Child - Ex-teacher arrested, accused of slamming boy's head on desk

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10-Year-Old Girl Arrested For Kicking Teachers

April 29, 2010

http://www.wftv.com/news/23307152/detail.html

DELAND, Fla. -- A 10-year-old central Florida girl faces two felony charges of assault on an education worker after she was accused of kicking and pushing her elementary school teachers.

Authorities were called to the Woodward Avenue Elementary School in DeLand on Wednesday. A teacher said the girl was disruptive and ran out of class. The girl allegedly said she wanted to go home. Authorities say the girl was found and she kicked and pushed some teachers when they tried to bring her to the front office.

Authorities say the girl told them she kicked the adults because she was scared. She also allegedly said she wanted to go home to see her mother's friend, who was visiting.

She was taken to the Division of Youth Services detention facility.

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Bus Driver Charged with Assaulting Autistic Child

04/29/2010

http://www.afro.com/sections/news/Baltimore/story.htm?storyid=1081

Baltimore County - Sr. hopes the second defendant in his son’s assault case doesn’t get off as easy as the first one.

After agreeing with the prosecutor that a surveillance video shows hitting 13-year-old autistic child Jr. on a Baltimore County school bus, District Court Judge G. Darrell Jr. ruled “not guilty†after a 10-minute hearing.

“She’s doing her job trying to maintain discipline,†said dismissively in court on March 11, according to transcripts acquired by the AFRO. “It wasn’t a forceful hit. Nobody was injured. She’s got her hands full.â€

But police agree with Sr., who said not only was his son assaulted by on Nov. 20, 2009, but attacked by Brocato, a bus driver with a prior child abuse record. Her trial is scheduled for May 19.

Sr. said his son was strapped into his seat next to , who was substituting for Jr.’s regular aide, as Brocato drove the bus of special education students on I-695 and Perring Parkway.

“The aide gave my son her [hair] scrunchy,†Sr. said. “He started playing with it because it’s made out of elastic material. He started trying to unravel it and she slapped him and that set him off. He became uncontrollable at that point.â€

Lt. Jim Dewees of the land State Police Golden Ring Barrack said it is difficult to determine by surveillance camera how hard hit Jr., but the tape clearly captures an assault and unnecessary restraint forced upon the teen.

“[] basically stands up and hits him several times,†DeWees said. “She didn’t stop; she was mad. It looked like the child [fell] to the ground. You can see them scuffling on the floor and you can see him being physically assaulted.â€

At that point, Brocato then pulled the bus over. Lori Mazan, operator and safety supervisor of Durham School Services which runs the school bus company, claims that Jr. got out of his harness and ran to the front of the bus, prompting Brocato to pull the bus over.

“As the driver expressed it, [he] ‘had to be disarmed’,†she wrote.

However, DeWees said the encounter went beyond discipline and became child abuse; the tape “clearly shows†Brocato pull the bus over and immediately begins to assault beyond acceptable reproach.

“She gets up and it appears as though she assists in the assault or restraining [of] the child,†Dewees said. “It’s not like she comes and intervenes and tries to make peace with what was going on.â€

Brocato has been charged with two counts of second-degree assault, adding onto her busy criminal record. On Oct. 26, 2003, she was charged with child abuse of a minor, contributing to the condition of a child, and second degree assault. She pled guilty to the 2003 assault charge and was sentenced to probation after being convicted on July 12, 2004.

Communications Specialist Ann Kinder said it is Durham School Services’ policy not to comment on pending litigation, but released the following statement regarding Brocato’s former employment with the company: “Durham School Services takes the safety of the children we transport very seriously. All of our drivers and monitors are required to pass a full background check and drug and alcohol screens before they are hired. In addition, they must complete an extensive training program that includes instruction on student management techniques.â€

Sr. was called to come pick his son up from school when the bus arrived there and had to drive his son to school for two months after the incident. He is now back on the bus without any problems, and former Durham School Services spokesperson Osheaski confirmed that and Brocato have been “terminated.â€

During her trial, told the judge she gave her scrunchy because that was the only way she could keep him in his seat and doesn’t remember hitting him. “I loved my job and I loved my kids on the bus,†she testified. “If I did hit him it was just in a response. He was hitting me down here on my leg.â€

On the court transcripts, admits that the tape did not show Jr. hit , but said he accepted her testimony because she was under oath. Sr. said his son is nonviolent and only used force after Brocato “got on top of him.â€

“He was defending himself,†he said. “He doesn’t understand a strange person hitting him. She wasn’t’ supposed to do that.â€

If Brocato is found not guilty, her job could be reinstated.

“I don’t want to see that woman go to jail,†Sr. said. “I just want to see her [give] a guilty plea so she can stay the heck off of these buses and not do that to another child again.â€

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Ex-teacher arrested, accused of slamming boy's head on desk

By Borunda and Maggie Ybarra \ El Paso Times

04/21/2010

http://www.elpasotimes.com/education/ci_14925356

EL PASO -- A former middle school teacher was arrested Monday, accused of slamming a special-needs student's head onto a desk.

Socorro Independent School District police arrested Brito Jr. on a charge of injury to a child after a parent made a report to authorities. Brito, 53, resigned from his teaching position at Salvador H. Middle School in Socorro on Friday before his arrest, said Escobar, spokesman for the Socorro school district. "He was put on paid administrative leave during the investigation, and he voluntarily chose to resign," Escobar said. Escobar said he did not immediately know how long Brito had worked for the district. The investigation began April 14, according to a complaint affidavit filed by school police and obtained Tuesday by the El Paso Times. The student's name was not disclosed because he is a juvenile. The police document alleged the incident took place April 2 during an afternoon class while students were watching a video. According to the document, Brito was upset because a boy was talking and would not let the other children listen to the video. Brito continued to ask the student to be quiet and place his hands on the desk or "he was going to do it for him." "The victim did not listen and (Brito) stood up, walked towards the victim and grabbed him by the back of his neck. (Brito) in an aggressive manner and with force slammed the victims (sic) head on the student's desk," the affidavit stated. The document stated at least one witness told police that after the assault, the boy appeared to be scared and in pain and stayed with his hands outstretched on the desk. The document stated there were no visible injuries reported by the boy's parent.

A log showed Brito was jailed for a few hours Monday before he was released on $3,500 bail. Brito was contacted on Tuesday but declined to comment, saying he was seeking legal representation. Borunda may be reached at dborunda@...; 546-6102. Maggie Ybarra may be reached at mybarra@...; 546-6151.