Teacher Katherine Garcia arrested for child abuse
7 october 2026 в 03:50
In Florida, kindergarten teacher Katherine Garcia was arrested after surveillance footage captured her grabbing, pulling, and pushing a student into a fence on the playground. According to the St. Cloud Police Department, Garcia was taken into custody by the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office on Friday, October 2, and charged with child abuse.
The incident occurred on October 1, when a student, upset about the end of recess, refused to get up and sat on the ground. The video shows Garcia bending down and grabbing the child by the left arm, then abruptly lifting him, but he fell back to the ground. The teacher continued to escalate the situation by kicking him in the legs, grabbing him by the left arm, and dragging him across the concrete surface.
According to the police report, Garcia then wrapped both hands around the child’s neck and lifted him off the ground, after which she pushed him into the fence. It was also reported that she struck the child in the upper body. Two witnesses who observed the incident reported it to the school administration. One witness claimed to have seen Garcia pull the child off the ground several times and push him into the fence.
The school administration and the Osceola County School Board were notified the same day, and Garcia was immediately suspended from her job. Staff reported the incident to the Florida Department of Children and Families, and the child’s parents were informed of what had happened. The child was examined by the school nurse, who found no injuries. The child’s mother provided a written statement and signed an affidavit regarding the incident.
After her arrest, Garcia told investigators that she had difficulty lifting the child when he refused to get up. She claimed she did not remember grabbing him by the neck and declined to provide a written statement. Garcia is charged with child abuse — simple assault or battery, which is a violation of Florida Statute 827.03(2c). It is currently unclear whether she has entered a plea or hired an attorney. The St. Cloud Police Department did not respond to a request for comment on the case.
The incident occurred on October 1, when a student, upset about the end of recess, refused to get up and sat on the ground. The video shows Garcia bending down and grabbing the child by the left arm, then abruptly lifting him, but he fell back to the ground. The teacher continued to escalate the situation by kicking him in the legs, grabbing him by the left arm, and dragging him across the concrete surface.
According to the police report, Garcia then wrapped both hands around the child’s neck and lifted him off the ground, after which she pushed him into the fence. It was also reported that she struck the child in the upper body. Two witnesses who observed the incident reported it to the school administration. One witness claimed to have seen Garcia pull the child off the ground several times and push him into the fence.
The school administration and the Osceola County School Board were notified the same day, and Garcia was immediately suspended from her job. Staff reported the incident to the Florida Department of Children and Families, and the child’s parents were informed of what had happened. The child was examined by the school nurse, who found no injuries. The child’s mother provided a written statement and signed an affidavit regarding the incident.
After her arrest, Garcia told investigators that she had difficulty lifting the child when he refused to get up. She claimed she did not remember grabbing him by the neck and declined to provide a written statement. Garcia is charged with child abuse — simple assault or battery, which is a violation of Florida Statute 827.03(2c). It is currently unclear whether she has entered a plea or hired an attorney. The St. Cloud Police Department did not respond to a request for comment on the case.
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