A special needs teacher and vice president of a private academy in Hialeah faces a felony child abuse charge after investigators alleged she held down and slammed an eight-year-old child in class.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nikol Marie Rodriguez was charged with one count of child abuse with no great bodily harm.<\/p>\n
Police arrested Rodriguez on Thursday afternoon at Primera Iglesia Hispana De La Biblia Abierta, which houses Peace Christian Academy.<\/p>\n
During a court appearance, a Miami-Dade County judge informed Rodriguez she was charged with child abuse.<\/a> Rodriguez remained silent and allowed her attorney, Christopher Pracitto, to speak to the judge.<\/p>\n Investigators allege that in early March, Rodriguez hurt the boy, who has autism <\/a>and attention deficit\/hyperactivity disorder, <\/a>according to an arrest report. The report notes the alleged victim has no history of violence. Rodriguez had taught the child for nearly two years.<\/p>\n Investigators said surveillance video recorded inside Rodriguez’s classroom shows her grabbing the victim “in an aggressive manner”. The video allegedly captured her slamming the “victim’s upper body and head onto the classroom floor”. Rodriguez reportedly used her hands and legs to restrain the child, who appeared “to be in agony”.<\/p>\n Pracitto told CBS News Miami that his client, a lifelong Miami resident with no prior arrests, will argue in court that she did nothing wrong. Pracitto successfully lobbied for a $5,000 bond, which Rodriguez posted. She is under court orders to stay away from the alleged victim.<\/p>\n CBS News Miami emailed the academy and church leadership for comment, but neither responded.<\/p>\n Editor’s note: CBS News Miami anchor Lauren Pastrana is related to the school’s president and has a personal connection to Rodriguez. She was not involved in the reporting or production of this story.<\/p>\n Ana Maria Soler<\/a><\/p>\n contributed to this report.\n <\/p>\n