A 59-year-old Deltona, Florida teacher, Vilma Otero, is accused of putting a three-year-old autistic boy in a chokehold. It all allegedly happened last week at Forest Lake Elementary in Deltona. And let’s just say she’s going to get more than just detention after school. Volusia County officials say Otero is facing child abuse charges.
According to FOX35, Otero is working in the classroom with another staff member, a teacher’s aide, who saw everything. She says she looked over and saw the boy trapped between Otero’s legs in a chokehold of sorts. She didn’t just stand there and do nothing. She took some photos and immediately went to authorities to report the incident.
The boy later told officers that he had “gotten into trouble at school” and that teacher Otero, of Florida, had “hurt” him. They also noticed redness on his neck, which was consistent with what the substitute teacher had reported.
Teacher arrested in Florida:
When officers reached Otero, she didn’t make a big fuss. She mentioned that she had worked as a teacher for 36 years, mostly with disabled children. And while she admitted that it would be wrong to physically restrain a child in this way, she still denied it, even when she was shown these pictures.
Eventually she was taken to prison without further incident.
Volusia County Schools is also not taking this kind of behavior lightly. They have placed Otero on leave and are investigating the situation. They say they are concerned about the safety of their students and are taking the whole matter very seriously. Their Division of Professional Standards is investigating the case to find out what happens next.
Meet Budman, the dynamic host of the WiLD Bunch Morning Show on Marconi Award-winning radio station WXKB on B1039. Budman enjoys writing about funny news, good stories about Florida men, dumb criminals, or anything superhero-related. A comic book and pop culture fan, Budman even named his daughter Kara Zor-El after Supergirl. His only child is his true passion beyond the microphone. Being a father is his favorite role. A true family man, Budman balances his love of radio with quality time spent with his loved ones and his loyal dogs.
