A Mother’s Fight for Justice After Teachers Abuse Her Autistic Son
In a heart-wrenching case of classroom abuse, Guadalupe Rodriguez is demanding justice after surveillance video captured two Texas teachers mistreating her 5-year-old non-verbal son with autism at Wild Peach Elementary School in Brazoria. The disturbing footage shows the child being picked up and forcefully dropped to the floor, resulting in a broken foot and emotional trauma that will leave lasting scars on both mother and child. “This is trauma that my son and I will carry forever,” Rodriguez explained, describing how she “dropped to her knees and cried” upon first viewing the video. The incident has exposed serious concerns about how vulnerable children with special needs are treated in educational settings, particularly when they cannot verbally report mistreatment.
Additional footage from October 30th revealed even more troubling behavior from multiple educators tasked with the boy’s care. One teacher was seen picking up the child and dropping him to the ground before pushing him down and simply walking away. Later, another teacher carried him outside and attempted to force him to walk on his already injured foot, even kicking his ailing ankle. Throughout these incidents, Rodriguez noted with dismay that “nobody cared” as her “son was showing signs of distress, and not one teacher stopped to assess” his condition. This apparent indifference to a child’s suffering represents a profound betrayal of the trust parents place in educational institutions, especially when entrusting them with children who have special needs.
While Columbia-Brazoria Independent School District has confirmed that the two teachers involved have been fired following the incident, Rodriguez feels this response is woefully inadequate. “Part of me is relieved but I’m not satisfied with the way they’re handling this at all,” she expressed, pointing out that “neither of them are behind bars. They’re still walking free.” Her frustration highlights the gap that often exists between administrative consequences and criminal accountability in cases of child abuse within institutional settings. Many parents of children with disabilities fear that without criminal charges, similar incidents could occur elsewhere with the same educators simply moving to different schools.
The school district, located approximately 60 miles south of Houston, has taken some steps toward transparency by sending an email to parents announcing the firings and confirming that the incident was reported to several agencies, including Family Protected Services. In a letter dated November 7th, Principal Anne Cohea acknowledged that “the investigation has determined two educational support staff members acted inappropriately by not following the provided training and guidance.” This carefully worded statement suggests that proper protocols for handling children with special needs existed but were disregarded by the staff members in question.
The principal’s statement went on to affirm that “the safety and well-being of our students are of the utmost importance” and that “this behavior is unacceptable and does not reflect the standards, expectations or values of Wild Peach Elementary.” However, such assurances may ring hollow for Rodriguez and other parents of children with special needs who must now question whether their vulnerable children are truly safe in educational environments. The disconnect between institutional statements about safety and the reality captured on video creates a crisis of confidence that extends beyond this single incident to raise broader questions about accountability in special education programs.
As of the latest reports, no criminal charges have been filed against the teachers responsible for the abuse. This lack of legal consequences amplifies Rodriguez’s determination to continue advocating for her son and potentially for broader systemic changes to protect other children with special needs. The case highlights critical issues around supervision, training, and accountability for those working with vulnerable student populations. While administrative actions like termination address the immediate situation, the absence of criminal prosecution leaves many questioning whether justice has truly been served and what measures will be implemented to prevent such traumatic incidents from happening to other children who may not be able to speak for themselves.
