Colorado police said a library media teacher was charged with child abuse after they obtained video of the man putting a 6-year-old student in a headlock outside of the school.
Greeley police said they were made aware of the incident by administrators at Greeley-Evans School District 6 on Aug. 30. The district placed 40-year-old Joshua David Wainscott on administrative leave after learning about the allegations.
An affidavit obtained by KDVR-TV said that Wainscott was captured on video putting the child in a headlock outside of Maplewood Elementary School. Officers said that students were lined up outside of the school when Wainscott grabbed a child by wrapping his arm around the student’s neck and taking him inside of the school.
The student reportedly told police that the teacher tightened his grip after the student tried to kick him to get out of the headlock. This caused the student to experience difficulty breathing.
Officers said that they tried to speak to Wainscott but that he declined to make a statement. He was arrested at his home on Sept. 11.
The teacher was charged with second-degree assault on a child victim, a felony, as well as the misdemeanor charge of child abuse.
KDVR also obtained a letter that was sent to parents of students at the school explaining the arrest of Wainscott.
“District 6 immediately contacted police, who conducted the investigation. Under state and federal law, a person charged with a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty,” the letter read.
The district said Wainscott had worked at the school for 14 years.
“The safety and security of our students and staff is always our top priority. We take these allegations very seriously and deeply regret any emotional or physical harm to a child under our care,” they added.
Greeley is a city of about 108,000 residents located about 60 miles north of Denver.
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