A principal is under investigation after being caught paddling a 6-year-old student on video recorded by the student’s mother in Clewiston, Florida, WINK-TV reported.
Central Elementary School Principal Melissa Carter is now being investigated by the Clewiston Police Department as well as the Department of Children and Families, WINK-TV reported. Central Elementary School’s district, the Hendry County School District, does not allow corporal punishment, according to WINK-TV.
A 6yo child in FL. was beaten by her school principal, in front of her mother, for damage she allegedly caused to a computer. ⚠️ this video is graphic. It’s infuriating, outrageous & shocking & the principal is now under criminal investigation. https://t.co/M3cIZeTMKa pic.twitter.com/HPAcbYXlXe
— David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) May 2, 2021
Carter was videoed paddling the 6-year-old on April 13 after the student reportedly damaged a school computer.
The child’s mother was notified that her daughter had damaged the computer and would be charged $50; when the mother arrived to pay the fine, she reportedly found her daughter with Carter and a school clerk identified as Cecilia Self in the principal’s office, WINK-TV reported. (RELATED: Girl Forced To Jump On Trampoline As Punishment Dies Of Dehydration, Police Say)
The mother realized there were no surveillance cameras recording the incident, and discretely started recording her child’s punishment on her phone, according to WINK-TV.
The mother recalled the event in Spanish, saying “The hatred with which she hit my daughter, I mean it was a hatred that, really I’ve never hit my daughter like she hit her,” according to WINK-TV. “I had never hit her,” the mother added while crying.
Later, the mother took her 6-year-old daughter to the doctor in order to document the bruising and other marks left by the paddle, WINK-TV reported.
“Nobody would have believed me,” had she not recorded the punishment, the mother told WINK-TV. “I sacrificed my daughter, so all parents can realize what’s happening in this school,” the mother added.
The police report, WINK-TV reported, said the mother mentioned paddling while she and a deputy were present. However, she didn’t know what that involved because of a language barrier, and no deputy was present according to WINK-TV.
“I’m going to get justice for my daughter because if I could not do it in front of her, I’m going to do it with justice,” the mother told WINK-TV.