A Florida teacher allegedly strangled a 14-year-old boy in front of students and the vice principal, who decided not to report the incident.
Bennie Leverett allegedly restricted “the student’s ability to breathe before eventually releasing the hold,” the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement obtained by the Tampa Bay Times.
According to the document, the American held the victim in this strangulation position for about four minutes.
Some witnesses filmed the drama with their phones, but the teacher ordered them to delete the images before leaving the classroom.
Deputy principal Tashika Fabian reportedly met with the teacher and student after the incident but did not report the abuse to local authorities.me Fabian also allegedly asked a student to delete his video of the event, according to police officers.
However, they found the video, which allowed them to be arrested.
“It is deeply disturbing when a teacher harms a student, but it is even more disturbing when a person in a position of authority fails to do the right thing and report the crime,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said in the news release.
The two staff members were arrested Friday for the incident that occurred on January 18. They were relieved of their duties in February when the School Service Centre learned of the rumors.
Mr Leverett has left his post while Mrme Fabian was fired.
The former teacher was charged with child abuse. He pleaded not guilty through his lawyer. The former principal was charged with failing to report child abuse.
