Authorities had to forcibly remove a teacher from campus after allegedly abusing a disabled student under her care.
Videos by Wide Open Country
According to the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, an ESE Teacher, Tonya Gainey, was arrested and charged with child abuse following an event on Wednesday, December 11th, 2024. ESE, or Exceptional Student Education Teachers, work with disabled children and those with special needs.
Video surveillance caught Gainey as she “slammed down” the arm of a non-verbal three-year-old child during lunchtime. The footage then shows the teacher “throwing away the student’s food and ignoring him for the rest of the period.” The report notes that the child was “crying and in pain.”
It’s unknown what triggered this strange behavior from the special needs teacher or the events beforehand.
The incident happened at the Wise Center in DeFuniak Springs, Florida, and was brought to the attention of the School Administration on the evening of Tuesday, December 10th.