VALLEJO, CA (KGO/CNN) – A California mother filed a police report, saying she’s “more than angry” after her 6-year-old son was allegedly slapped by a substitute teacher at his school.
Lyniqueah Hawkins’ 6-year-old son Famous is a first-grade special education student at Highland Elementary School in Vallejo, CA.
On Friday afternoon, Hawkins received a phone call from the school, telling her Famous may have been slapped by a substitute teacher.
Hawkins rushed to the school and picked up Famous, even taking pictures of an apparent red mark on his cheek. She wanted to talk directly with the teacher, but the teacher had already left campus.
"The teacher in question was identified as a substitute, and immediately pulled from the site,” said Vallejo Unified Human Resources Officer Dr. Gigi Patrick in a statement.
Famous was traumatized by the incident, his mother says.
“He wakes up with nightmares about the situation. One day, he broke down crying when the bus came to pick him up because he was so terrified of seeing her again and getting slapped,” Hawkins said.
Hawkins says she filed a police report, and Patrick verified the incident is being investigated by police. The school district’s policy requires officials to contact police in such cases, but Patrick could not confirm they had done so.
Patricia Holcomb, the substitute teacher allegedly involved, said she did “tap” Famous on the cheek, but she claims the boy had overturned a classroom desk and was throwing chairs just prior to the incident.
Hawkins says she doesn’t believe Holcomb.
"He told me that you slapped him because he asked you for some space. I never heard of my son flipping chairs and desks over – nice try, but no,” Hawkins said.
Police have not said whether the teacher faces possible criminal charges.
Copyright 2018 KGO, Lyniqueah Hawkins via CNN. All rights reserved.
