A Texas mother sent her non-verbal son with autism to school on a regular day, but never expected him to come back with a fracture. What she saw on the school’s security footage made her drop to her knees and scream.
Guadalupe Rodriguez‘s 5-year-old son attended the Wild Peach Elementary School in Brazoria County. But when he returned from school on Oct. 30, his mother immediately noticed he couldn’t put weight on his foot. Concerned, she took him to urgent care, where doctors revealed he had a fractured ankle and a sprain.
The school did not initially provide a clear explanation for his injury. It was only after the mother demanded answers from the principal that she was allowed to view the school surveillance footage. What she saw, she says, will haunt her forever.
“I dropped to my knees and cried, because I didn’t expect to see that. I wasn’t expecting to see my son be treated in such a manner.”
What happened to the child at Wild Peach Elementary School?
In the video obtained by KHOU, two teachers can be seen lifting and slamming the little boy onto a mat, causing his ankle to twist beneath him. In another clip, a teacher appears to kick his injured ankle as he struggles on the ground. The boy, who is non-verbal, is then seen crying alone while the teachers walk away.
“My son was showing signs of distress, and not one teacher stopped to assess my son. Nobody cared,” Rodriguez said. The case has sparked national outrage, particularly among parents of children with autism. Advocates point out that non-verbal children are uniquely vulnerable and cannot report abuse. This makes transparency from schools crucial.
The school immediately fired the two teachers
Taking cognizance of the seriousness of the matter, both teachers were quickly fired from the school. The principal of Wild Peach also acknowledged that the two teachers acted “inappropriately” and failed to follow “the provided training and guidance.”
“The safety and well-being of our students are of the utmost importance. This behavior is unacceptable and does not reflect the standards, expectations, or values of Wild Peach Elementary and Columbia-Brazoria ISD,” Principal Anne M Cohea said.
The school also duly notified the Texas Education Agency about the incident. The district’s police department also reported it to the Brazoria County District Attorney’s Office. They reportedly plan to present the case to the district attorney once the file is complete.
Rodriguez wants the teachers to be criminally charged
Rodriguez feels relieved that the two monstrous teachers won’t be able to torture any innocent child at the school now. However, she still thinks that a criminal investigation is a must, and they should be put behind bars:
“Part of me is relieved, but I’m not satisfied with the way they’re handling this at all. Neither of them are behind bars. They’re still walking free.”
Her son is currently recovering from his physical injuries and has not gone back to Wild Peach Elementary School. But for him and Rodriguez, the incident has become a trauma that they’ll have to carry forever.
