CONYERS, Ga. — A now-former Rockdale County teacher has been arrested and accused of assaulting two five-year-old special education students, the Conyers Police Department announced Thursday.
According to the department, the teacher, Janice Foot, was terminated at C.J. Hicks Elementary School after a complaint from parents in early November.
The complaint initially came from the parents of a 5-year-old boy who described bruising and scratch marks on the side and back of his head. According to police, a review of video from inside the classroom showed Foot had used "physical force to control two students in the classroom as punishment for previous behavior."
"The assault that prompted the investigation is best described as an adult forcing the head of a child against a school desk," a release stated.
Investigators determined Foot was doing this to "prevent the child from viewing a film being shown to the class by keeping his head down on the desk."
During the investigation, a second five-year-old was identified as an assault victim. That student had bruises and scratch marks consistent with the first victim, police said.
Foot, 58, was arrested on Dec. 12 and booked into the Rockdale County Jail. She is facing two first-degree cruelty to children charges.
"Detectives ask that anyone with information regarding abuse that may be related to this investigation contact the Conyers Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division at 770-929- 4203," a police statement said.
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