Bogan Elementary aide charged with child endangerment after alleged incident with disabled student
A Talawanda employee resigned and has been arrested and charged with one count of child endangerment following an incident with a disabled student. The district had intended to pursue termination, according to a statement.
A Talawanda School District educational assistant at Bogan Elementary has resigned after the Butler County Sheriff's Office charged her with one count child endangerment.
According to court records, teacher's assistant Heather Keller abused a disabled child in a physical incident Dec. 12. Keller "grabbed the victim multiple times by [the victim's] face and neck area and pushed [the victim's] head into the back of [their] wheelchair" the court filings state. The Sheriff's Office has video evidence of the incident, according to court filings. The filing goes on to state that Keller applied pressure with both of her arms while pulling one of the victim's arms across the victim's face and flicked the victim in their face.
"The child did not suffer serious physical harm," according to the deposition.
Butler County Jail records show that Keller was arrested in the early afternoon on Dec. 18 and was still in jail custody as of 10:30 a.m. Dec. 19.
A statement posted to the district blog states that Talawanda officials "intended to pursue termination of the employee at the scheduled disciplinary hearing," but Keller "resigned prior to the scheduled disciplinary hearing." The statement did not identify Keller by name.
"Talawanda does not condone the use of inappropriate or excessive student physical contact," the statement continues. The district's Board of Education will meet for a regularly scheduled meeting at 7 p.m. Dec. 19.
