A former paraprofessional was sentenced to five days in jail Thursday after he admitted to hanging a 5-year-old boy on a chalkboard.
Antonio Cammon pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor simple battery charge in the May 2016 incident at Shoals Creek Elementary School in Conyers, Channel 2 Action News reported.
At the time of the incident, the school’s principal, Tiwon Tony, said he heard screams from a classroom, walked in and witnessed Cammon holding the child against the chalkboard, Channel 2 reported.
“Mr. Cammon was away from the student and the student was hanging by himself,” Tony testified earlier. “By an accident or unintentional, he would have taken him down and I would not have seen (the student) hanging on the hook.”
In addition to the five days in jail, Cammon was given a one-year probation and must attend anger management classes. He will not be allowed to work with minors while on probation.
Cammon had already been fired from his position.
The boy’s grandmother, Tracy Davis, said she wasn’t happy with the sentence but understood the judge was limited since Cammon was charged with a misdemeanor.
“He’s gonna do five days in jail and after that my grandson still has to go on,” she told Channel 2.
Davis said her grandson has nightmares about the incident.
“He doesn’t trust people,” she said. “He’s angry (and) wants to fight all the time, and I feel helpless.”
Cammon’s attorney said it was an accident, according to the news station.
“Sometimes clients decide they just want to put it behind them and that’s what he wanted to do,” Jackie Patterson said.
In court, Cammon apologized to the victim and his family, saying: “I’m not that person. I’ve always loved kids.”
Channel 2 said Cammon is scheduled to turn himself in Feb. 17.
A teacher and another paraprofessional were also arrested in the incident, but a judge ruled there was not enough evidence to charge them.
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