Teacher’s aide charged for allegedly pushing 3-year-old to floor at Kanawha County school

KANAWHA COUNTY, WV (WOWK) — An extended school year program aide working at Elk Elementary Center is being charged with battery and assault of a disabled child after allegedly pushing a three-year-old to the floor.

According to a criminal complaint, the incident happened on June 27 just after 1 p.m.

Court documents said law enforcement watched video surveillance that showed the aide — now identified as Deborah Richards, 62, of Cedar Grove — removing the victim from a wheelchair that did not belong to them.

After this, the criminal complaint said the child kicked Richards. She then told them, “I kick back.”

Video surveillance showed Richards using her leg to shove the child, and then pushing them several feet back and onto the floor using her arm, the document said. The teacher’s aide did not help the child, court documents said.

Briana Warner, Communications Director for Kanawha County Schools, said in a statement the district, “Became aware of an incident of alleged abuse with a student at Elk Elementary Center during the summer extended school year program. We made appropriate reports of that incident and authorities made an arrest after reviewing the evidence provided. Kanawha County Schools staff followed all policy and procedures. We will continue to work with all involved in investigating the matter.”

If convicted of battery and assault of a disabled child, she faces up to five years in prison and a $1,000 fine.

This case comes less than one year after three families received nearly $12 million from the Kanawha County Board of Education after children were abused at a different school.

Nancy Boggs , a special needs teacher at Holz Elementary, was sentenced to ten years behind bars after she pleaded guilty to 10 counts of battery against students.

These charges include Boggs hitting a student with a cabinet door, pulling a student by the hair, slapping a student on the face, slapping a student on the shoulder, driving a student’s head into a desk and jerking a chair out from under a student.

A teacher’s aide was charged with not reporting the abuse but was later found not guilty . Another aide was charged but accepted pre-trial diversion.

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