Bradenton school employees tied up her kid, police say. It may cost district thousands
A parent could seek up to $200,000 in monetary damages from the School District of Manatee County after police say two employees tied up her 7-year-old child during recess.
Last week, the Bradenton Police Department arrested Carina Chindamo, an Exceptional Student Education (ESE) teacher and Taylor Internicola, a teacher’s aide, after investigators say they found video footage of them using a nylon rope to restrain a non-verbal autistic student. The Feb. 2 interaction, which lasted about an hour, was captured on school surveillance cameras, police say.
Chindamo, 31, and Internicola, 39, have both been charged with battery and false imprisonment, according to court records.
The footage shows both employees tying the boy’s wrist, wrapping the rope around a chair and then taking turns sitting on the chair while the boy sat on the ground at G.D. Rogers Garden-Bullock Elementary School, according to police.
According to an arrest report, the employees had previously restrained the same child on multiple occasions. Police say there is also video footage of “three previous similar incidents” on Jan. 16, Jan. 24 and Jan. 29.
When asked if the school district was aware of these previous incidents, spokesperson Mike Barber said he could not comment on an active investigation.
A lawyer representing the student’s mother, Takeila Jones, called the situation “disturbing” and suggested the possibility of legal action.
Manatee School District faces legal threat
“Based on the facts alleged, what happened was a horrible, traumatic thing for the child,” said Melton Little, a lawyer who is representing Jones.
Little said the 7-year-old boy has had difficulties at home recently. Little said the boy was physically ill after being restrained and has had trouble sleeping in the days since. He also said the boy is being examined by his pediatrician to determine if there were any injuries to his wrists and legs from being tied down.
Little plans to conduct an independent investigation, but he also plans to send the school district a letter informing officials of his intention to file a claim for monetary damages.
Little said he hasn’t yet determined how much in damages they will be pursuing, but according to Florida Statutes, the damages cannot exceed $200,000.
Under Florida law, Little said the school district will have 180 days to evaluate the claim and decide whether to pay. After the 180 days are up, depending on the school’s decision, Little said the family will decide whether to file a lawsuit.
Bradenton child restraint investigation
Police said video from the playground on Feb. 2 showed Chindamo and Internicola wrapping nylon rope around the child’s wrists and then around the chair before the two took turns sitting on the chair.
Chindamo can be seen at one point in the video talking on her cell phone while sitting on the chair that is being used to restrain the child, according to the affidavit.
Police arrested Chindamo for battery on Feb. 6 at around 8:30 p.m., the Bradenton Herald previously reported. Court records show she was then charged with false imprisonment before posting $10,000 bond and has since been released.
Internicola, who faces the same charges, was taken into custody on Feb. 9 and posted a $10,000 bond and was released the next day, according to court records.
‘Disturbing’ allegations against school employees
Regardless of how the legal situation plays out, Little called the incident “unacceptable” and demanded more oversight. Little said the idea of this happening multiple times “without any other teacher or administrator intervening at any point” is even more disturbing.
“It seems to kind of indicate they knew what they were doing and that’s even worse,” said Little. “We no longer live in a culture that believes it’s appropriate to put your hands on a child, particularly a child with special challenges.”
“We don’t live in that culture anymore. Gone are the days where you get five licks from the principal or where you can tie children up. We’ve evolved past that point in our civilization and in our education system,” he added. “I can’t imagine how this could be justified.”
While the School District of Manatee County declined to comment further Thursday, in a previous statement provided to the Bradenton Herald school officials called the alleged incident “disturbing and reprehensible.”
“The District has been fully cooperating with law enforcement throughout this active investigation,” school officials said in the statement. “All of our protocols have been followed, including the employees’ removal from the classroom immediately after the incident was reported and reassignment to other District locations where students are not present.”
Police said the investigation is still underway and investigators are looking for other potential victims.
Anyone with information on the case can contact the Bradenton Police Department at (941) 932-9300 or email Detective Dalia Santana at dalia.santana@bradentonpd.com.
