Two employees at the same Oklahoma elementary school allegedly assaulted young students in separate incidents weeks apart — one accused of hitting a 10-year-old and another of carrying a 5-year-old in a chokehold, according to court records and a local news report.
Elizabeth Kay Sutton, 38, and Ottoria Rose McClung, 37, were charged with misdemeanor assault and battery on a student at Elgin Elementary School in Elgin, Oklahoma, according to court documents.
According to school administrators and court records, the consecutive instances prompted police replies and resulted in the dismissal of both staff.
Authorities arrived at the school on Jan. 8 when Principal Gabe Winn reported that Sutton, a classroom aide, reportedly grabbed a 10-year-old child, yanked him back into his seat, and punched him in the face, according to The Lawton Constitution, citing a probable cause affidavit.
A witness told school administrators that the youngster attempted to rise up when Sutton jerked him back and looked to beat him after releasing his arm, according to the site.
According to the complaint, investigators watched security video and saw Sutton whip her arm toward the child’s face, causing his head to snap back. The boy’s instructor saw a red mark on his face when he returned to class.
According to the publication, Sutton informed police that the youngster “had been difficult since returning back to school after the break” and had been attempting to flee and climb on top of the table. She claimed she employed a hold she had been taught and that her intention was never to harm the youngster.
Sutton, who had been with the school system for five months, was let go on January 15, according to Superintendent Nate Meraz. She has pled not guilty and is free on a $500 bond; court records say she is due back in court on May 20.
Weeks later, McClung, a personal care assistant at the same school, was accused of choking a 5-year-old youngster down a corridor while wrapping her arm around his throat, according to the report.
On March 13, a witness told police the boy’s face was red, he was weeping, and he was slapping McClung’s arm while she allegedly muttered, “I can’t deal with the situation,” according to the site.
McClung was also terminated and charged with misdemeanor assault and battery. She is currently free on bond and is expected to appear in court on May 20, according to documents.