A Florida teacher has been charged with child abuse after she allegedly struck a 5-year-old student in the face with a ruler.
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According to NBC 6 South Florida, the alleged incident occurred at the Aspire Preparatory Academy in Miami Gardens on Nov. 9. The teacher, identified as Chrishawn Nicholson, 25, had called the student’s mother and said he had been playing with a pencil and “got cut near his eyebrow.”
While the student was getting stitches at a nearby hospital, the medical staff told his mother that his injury was not from a pencil. The student also told his mother that Nicholson “hit him with a ruler.”
After the student’s mother reported the incident, the Florida Department of Children and Families contacted Child Protective Services to investigate. The student shared his version of the incident with investigators, even demonstrating how the teacher hit him.
The student’s mother further provided law enforcement with a video of him telling her what happened.
Nicholson turned herself in on Jan. 9. Following her arrest, the educator was placed in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. A judge set a bond for $5,000.
The Teacher Allegedly Stated She Would ‘Pop’ The Student Before Hitting Him With the Ruler
After the teacher was charged with child abuse, a prosecutor revealed what led to the student being hit in the face with a ruler.
“The allegations are that she hit a 5-year-old with a ruler, the 5-year-old required medical treatment, and there’s a video where she said, ‘I did pop him,'” the prosecutor stated in court.
Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mindy S. Glazer stated while Nicholson was in court that she wasn’t going to order the educator to not work in her profession. She noted this could have been an isolated incident.
“No matter how frustrated you are, you shouldn’t take it out on that child,” the judge further stated. “To where now this child, it could’ve been his eye; it was so close to his eye. Then he would have been blind for the rest of his life. Then what?”
The judge then ordered Nicholson to stay away from the child. The educator’s attorney claimed there was no probable cause and she has been cooperating with the investigation.
They noted the incident was a “hiccup” and she should still work with children. They also asked the judge for non-monetary release, claiming the educator was unable to afford the bond.