A 59-year-old teacher at Forest Lake Elementary in Volusia County was arrested on Saturday for allegedly using her legs to put a 3-year-old student in a headlock during class.
Vilma Otero, who has 36 years of teaching experience, including working with special needs children, faces a felony charge of child abuse without great bodily harm, local media reported.
According to an arrest affidavit, a paraeducator witnessed the incident and reported it to the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF). The paraeducator said she saw Otero sitting in a chair with the toddler between her legs, with the boy's face turning red as he screamed and tried to free himself from the chokehold.
The child, who has autism, reportedly had difficulty communicating with deputies but was able to say, "She hurt me," and mentioned getting "in trouble at school."
Deputies found slight redness on the child's neck and observed physical marks consistent with the paraeducator's account. Otero denied restraining the child in the described manner, even after being shown photos of the incident.
She stated that she had over 36 years of experience, particularly with children who have special needs, and stated that her training involved moving children to a different room if they needed to calm down.
Given the physical evidence and the paraeducator's account, deputies arrested Otero on a felony charge of child abuse without great bodily harm. The Volusia County School District has placed Otero on administrative leave pending the outcome of a thorough investigation by its Professional Standards department.
The district has placed Otero on administrative leave and is conducting a thorough investigation. "Volusia County Schools (VCS) is aware of the recent arrest of a Forest Lake Elementary teacher. VCS is committed to the safety and well-being of all of our students and is taking this situation very seriously. As such, our Professional Standards department is currently conducting a thorough investigation to determine the appropriate next steps. The teacher is currently on administrative leave," the statement read.
