Brownsburg, Indiana – The Brownsburg School Board convened on Monday night for the first time since employees were accused of neglecting a kid with special needs.
According to investigators, a teacher and aide in the Brownsburg Community School System forced-fed vomit to a 7-year-old special needs child in February.
According to interviews and evaluations of the evidence, the teacher allegedly warned the youngster that if he puked, he would have to eat what he puked. This is according to the Brownsburg Police Department. Another teacher who was there gave the kid a tray to throw up on. The toddler was instructed to use a spoon to eat his vomit after it was delivered by a third staff member.
In front of the school board, about a dozen residents of the area spoke.
One parent, Mary Statton, said “I mean, how can that many people willingly participate in a horrible thing and not report it? I just don’t understand.”
Another parent, Melodie Ondecker, said, “The fact this incident occurred in February and wasn’t publicized to the students, parents, the Brown Elementary families, and the staff until April is unacceptable. I love our Brown Elementary family, but I am upset with how our leadership handled this.”
Blaire Evans, another parent, told the board, “And it’s that I can’t sleep. I’m terrified to give him to you.”
The school district no longer employs the instructors and personnel that were involved in the event.
The following charges were previously made public by the Hendricks County Prosecutor’s Office:
• Brown Elementary Life Skills Teacher Sara Seymour, 27, was charged with neglect of a dependent as a Level 6 felony, and failure to report, a Class B misdemeanor.
• Brown Elementary Life Skills Instructional Aide Debra Kanipe, 63, was charged with neglect of a dependent as a Level 6 felony, and failure to report, a Class B misdemeanor.
• Brown Elementary Life Skills Teacher Julie Taylor, 48, was charged with failure to report, a Class B misdemeanor.
• Brown Elementary Life Skills Instructional Aide Kristen Mitchell, 38, was charged with failure to report, a Class B misdemeanor.
• K1ds Count Registered Behavioral Technician Megan King, 24, was charged with failure to report, a Class B misdemeanor.
The law firm of Connell Michael Kerr recently announced it is representing the family of the 7-year-old.
