Yorktown,Virginia – Two teachers at New Horizons Center for Autism in Yorktown have been charged in connection to the assault of a 13-year-old student the WTVR news report claims.
A staff member at the center heard screams coming from a classroom.
Dennis Ivey, a York County Sheriff’s spokesman wrote in an email about the May 16 incident the following:
“Upon entering the room [the staff member] witnessed a teacher assistant chasing a 13-year-old special needs student around the room,”
“The witness further reported that upon catching the child she [the teacher assistant] allegedly began sticking the child several times in the arm with a push pin.”
The witness said another teacher told the assistant teacher to “cover this up” by telling others that the push pin marks were bug bites.
Ivey wrote:
“The witness immediately reported this incident to the school administration, who reported it to Child Protective Services,”
Both Diane “Renee” Smith, 45, of Hampton and Darcie Badami, 35, of Yorktown were charged in this incident.
Smith was charged with Assault and Battery and Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor. Badami was charged with Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor.
This is not the first incident to be reported at the school.
New Horizons Center for Autism is a regional school for children with autism on the Peninsula. It is located in York Middle School.
The original article by Scott Wise, Wayne Covil and Web Staff,on the WTVR website can be read here