Inset: Kevin Adkisson (Flagler County Sheriff’s Office). Background: Wadsworth Elementary School in Palm Coast, Florida, where Adkisson allegedly assaulted a special needs student (Google Maps).
A Florida elementary school teacher allegedly threw a 6-year-old special needs student through the air and pressed him against a wall following a dispute with another child over a toy, authorities said.
Kevin Adkisson, 52, faces two counts of child abuse without great bodily harm, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
The case began after a paraprofessional assigned to Adkisson’s emotional and behavioral disorders classroom reported an incident at Wadsworth Elementary School in Palm Coast. She told the assistant principal that what happened on Oct. 16 made her “uncomfortable,” according to a probable cause affidavit.
The class had been given free time, with students allowed to watch a movie or play with toys. According to the paraprofessional’s account to investigators, the alleged victim and another student started pulling on the same toy. After both children refused to release it, she instructed them to hand it over. Adkisson, who was reportedly referred to as Mr. A, allegedly stepped in and “forcefully” yanked the toy from their hands.
The teacher then allegedly seized the boy’s arm and swung him in what the paraprofessional described as a “rough, slinging motion,” causing the child to move through the air. The affidavit says the visibly distressed student crawled beneath his desk while crying and yelling.
Adkisson allegedly moved the desk and held the child against the wall. The paraprofessional told police that the boy cried out that he was being hurt and “could not breathe.” Investigators said Adkisson eventually released him, told him he was “not hurt” and walked away.
The affidavit also describes another alleged incident earlier that day, when Adkisson reportedly picked up the boy after he skipped a line and carried him toward the back of the classroom.
When investigators spoke with the student, he allegedly said Adkisson hit him on both sides of his stomach with closed fists. The child recalled the other classroom incident but was unable to provide further details, according to the affidavit.
Deputies arrested Adkisson at his home and booked him into the Flagler County Jail. He later posted a $5,000 bond and declined to be interviewed by detectives. His next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 17.
“Parents entrust teachers to provide a safe learning environment for their children. Some special needs students can be challenging but everyone who works with these children must always keep their cool,” Sheriff Rick Staly said in a statement. “This is an unfortunate incident, but this should not taint the professional and hard-working faculty and staff, which do an outstanding job with our children. But let me be clear: Abuse of any kind, especially at the hands of a trusted adult, will not be tolerated.”
Flagler County Schools confirmed to local CBS affiliate WKMG that Adkisson has been placed on administrative leave.
The post Teacher flings 6-year-old special needs student through the air, pins him to wall until boy says he couldn’t breathe after fight over toy: Cops first appeared on Law & Crime.