A south Florida teacher was taken to the hospital last week following she was attacked by a 5-year-old student, leaving her “dazed” and “unresponsive,” authorities said.
The unidentified instructor was found by first responders “sitting on the ground once morest the wall” and “appearing to be in a faint state” at Pines Lakes Elementary Schoolregarding 15 miles southwest of downtown Fort Lauderdale, according to a heavily redacted Pembroke Pines Police Department incident report.
The victim was “clearly weak and dazed,” able to “blink and breathe regularly but at no point was able to vocally respond or show signs of a response,” the report said.
The troubling incident started when a 5-year-old boy had to be removed from class for “throwing things around” and “flipping the chairs,” police said.
The youngster was taken to an empty “cool down” room, where the attack on the teacher allegedly took place, police said.
The teacher was taken to Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood and has since been released, officials said.
While the young suspect is still being investigated for possible “aggravated assault with hands, fist and feet,” it’s unlikely he’ll be criminally prosecuted, a police spokesman told NBC News on Monday.
Prosecutors would be hard pressed to show that this 5-year-old had the ability distinguish right from wrong, the police representative said.
Police declined to reveal any identifying information on the victim, such as her age.
A representative for the teachers union might not be immediately reached for comment.
Broward County Public Schools officials referred all questions to police.
The district, though, did share a message that Principal Susan Sasse sent to parents and staff, acknowledging there had been “an incident that occurred in school” which required “a staff member to be transported to a local medical facility” on Wednesday.
“At all times during the incident, our campus was secured,” Sasse reported. “As always, the health, safety and well being of our students and staff continues to be my highest priority.”
The school has nearly 800 students, who range in age from pre-kindergarten through the fifth grade.
