GRAY, La. — A Terrebonne elementary school teacher was arrested Tuesday after he allegedly physically abused a nonverbal autistic student.
According to the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called to the unnamed school after receiving reports of abuse. School staff told the officers that they saw 58-year-old Wayne J. Schexnayder Jr. physically restrain and hit a child with disabilities in the classroom. The child was reportedly crying and had “visible redness and markings” on her shoulder, neck and ear, according to police.
Police stated they were then able to obtain classroom surveillance video, which allegedly showed about 14 minutes of Schexnayder abusing the student. According to police, the teacher restrained the child between his legs, hit her multiple times, pulled her hair, covered her face and used objects to strike her.
A viewer whose child attends the elementary school told WWL that parents were not made aware of the incident beyond rumors within the school. The viewer said that many parents had seen the autistic child’s injuries and were “very concerned and upset.”
When detectives interviewed Schexnayder, he reportedly admitted to restraining the child, but “could not recall” anything else that occurred. After showing him the surveillance video, however, police say he acknowledged that his actions were wrong.
Schexnayder was arrested and charged with cruelty to the infirmed. He is currently in the Terrebonne Parish Criminal Justice Complex on a $2,500 bond.
Investigation into the events is still ongoing.