A special education teacher at Baytown's Antonio Banuelos Elementary School is accused of throwing an autistic student to the ground, causing his nose to bleed, and investigators are examining classroom cameras.
Prosecutor Michael Haddad said the student is nonverbal.
“So it was difficult for us to even bring this case up here. But we found pretty significant evidence that this defendant assaulted this child,” teacher Shaq Alvarez Morales said Wednesday for the first time. Haddad said after appearing in court.
Morales is charged with injury to a child.
He was arrested Monday after the Goose Creek CISD Police Department visited the school on May 3 to investigate.
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Video from the classroom showed the student sitting at a table, then getting up from his chair and starting to walk, holding a whiteboard. According to court documents, the video shows Morales instructing the student to put down the whiteboard and the student throwing it to the ground. As Morales walks up behind the student, the video shows him grabbing the child by the arm, lifting him and throwing him to the floor, where the student punches him in the face and begins crying.
“Even the parents were shocked that this teacher would do this to their child because they had a good relationship,” Haddad said. “There is an active investigation going on to check and make sure there is no one else there,” he added. I'm influenced by this man. ”
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Morales did not check on the student or offer to treat his injuries before picking up the items and returning to his desk, according to the affidavit.
“Just another teacher in our community.” It seems like it's very common for students to use violence against other students. Again, it's really sad to see,” Haddad told KPRC 2 photojournalist Jevany Luna.
Mr. Morales' bail conditions are as follows:
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I have not heard from the school. He can't go within 1,000 feet.
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Unable to contact students
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He cannot have any firearms.
Mr. Morales and his attorney did not comment after court.
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