A 66-year-old substitute teacher in Berkeley County, South Carolina is facing serious charges after allegedly striking two nonverbal special needs students in a classroom last month. The accused, Sheryl Ann Brown from Summerville, is scheduled to appear in general sessions court in July.
Incident Reported at Special Education Classroom
The incident reportedly took place on April 23 at Carolyn Lewis School, located on Coleridge Drive in Summerville. Brown was working as a substitute teacher in a special education classroom for children with mental disabilities.
According to a police report, a classroom aide witnessed Brown being struck by a nonverbal student during the day. Instead of reporting or calmly handling the situation, Brown allegedly hit the child back.
Second Student Injured by Thrown Toy
The aide also stated that the same child threw a small toy at Brown. In response, Brown reportedly picked up the toy and threw it back “maliciously”. However, the toy missed the child and instead hit another nonverbal student in the face, causing the child to suffer a black eye.
Both children involved in the incident are nonverbal and have special needs.
Immediate Action Taken by School
After the aide informed the school principal, Brown was immediately told to leave the school pending further investigation. When leaving, she reportedly told the school secretary that she “did nothing wrong and was not worried about the accusations.”
Brown later turned herself in to Goose Creek Police on May 13, and was charged with two counts of unlawfully placing a child at risk or causing harm.
Brown Worked for Kelly Services, Not Directly for School District
Brown was not directly employed by the Berkeley County School District. She worked through Kelly Services, a staffing agency that supplies substitute teachers.
Kelly Services released a statement saying that the safety of students is their top priority, and they are cooperating fully with the authorities. Brown has been removed from all future teaching assignments until the investigation is complete. The agency also confirmed that Brown passed all background checks before she was hired.
Released on Bond, Court Date Set for July
Brown was booked into the Hill-Finklea Detention Center in Moncks Corner, but was later released on a personal recognizance bond. She will face the charges in court this July, where more details may emerge.
