DELTONA, Fla. – A Volusia County teacher was arrested last week on allegations of placing a 3-year-old boy with autism in a chokehold.
Vilma Otero, 59, of Deltona, who teaches at Forest Lake Elementary School in Deltona, was arrested on a charge of felony child abuse.
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According to an arrest affidavit, the incident occurred Friday and was witnessed by a paraeducator, who works with Otero.
The affidavit states that Otero was reading to students when she heard the boy scream and cry. As the assistant was setting up an activity for the students, she said she turned around and saw Otero sitting in a chair with the boy being held on the ground in a chokehold manner between Otero’s legs and feet, officials said.
The boy’s face was turning red and he was screaming while trying to free himself, the witness recounted. The assistant also took photos of the incident with her cellphone, the affidavit states.
Deputies later spoke with the boy who said, “I got in trouble at school” and “she hurt me”, according to the affidavit.
Otero, a teacher for 36 years, mostly with special-needs children, denied restraining the boy in the manner in which the assistant explained, even after being shown a photo, deputies said.
The affidavit described the boy as having redness around his neck, but authorities did not otherwise specify the severity of his injuries, officials said.
Otero was arrested and taken to the Volusia County jail.
The school district later released a statement about Otero.
“Volusia County Schools is aware of the recent arrest of a Forest Lake Elementary teacher. VCS is committed to the safety and well-being of all of our students and is taking this situation very seriously. As such, our Professional Standards department is currently conducting a thorough investigation to determine the appropriate next steps. The teacher is currently on administrative leave,” the statement said.