A DeKalb County paraprofessional was arrested Tuesday at his job amid allegations he broke an autistic student’s arm, Channel 2 Action News reported.
Soon after his arrest, the DeKalb County School District fired James Womack Jr., who taught students with disabilities at Tucker Middle School, Channel 2 reported. Womack, 37, faces two charges of aggravated battery and cruelty to children in the first degree, according to DeKalb County jail records.
“The behavior demonstrated by Mr. Womack in no way represents the high standards that our 15,500-member workforce upholds on a daily basis,” the district said in a statement to Channel 2.
According to warrants obtained by the news station, Womack violently pushed a seventh-grader six times onto a bench when the 13-year-old refused to sit down. During the encounter, Womack allegedly pulled the teenager’s arm and broke it.
School cameras captured the Aug. 20 assault and Womack was placed on paid administrative leave the next day, Channel 2 reported.
His first court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday morning.
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