A longtime Florida public school teacher has been arrested on a felony child abuse charge after authorities say she grabbed a seventh-grade student by the arm and dragged him roughly 20 feet out of her classroom and into a hallway.
Fada Concepcion, 52, a seventh-grade science teacher at Tuskawilla Middle School in Seminole County, was arrested by the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office following the September 29 incident.
Concepcion has worked for Seminole County Public Schools for 29 years, according to FOX 35 Orlando.
She now faces a third-degree felony charge of child abuse without great bodily harm.
According to an arrest report obtained by WFTV, investigators allege Concepcion grabbed the student from his seat during third-period science class and dragged him by the arm at least 20 feet into an exterior hallway.
The alleged incident was reportedly captured on the school’s surveillance camera system.
School officials became aware of the allegation the following day after Assistant Principal Cynthia Woods received a statement from a student. Woods then notified Principal Randy Shuler, child protection officials and a school resource deputy.
Another assistant principal later reviewed surveillance footage and contacted deputies.
Investigators subsequently interviewed 15 students who had been marked present during the class.
The student involved also provided a sworn statement, while his father reportedly told investigators that he had not given Concepcion permission to physically handle his son and wanted authorities to pursue the matter.
Concepcion, however, disputes investigators’ version of events.
During questioning, Concepcion reportedly told deputies she did not remember “dragging” the student and maintained that she had instead escorted him from the classroom while he repeatedly slumped over.
Her attorney also challenged prosecutors’ characterization of the encounter during a bond hearing.
The defense argued that the student had been misbehaving and had not suffered bruising or other physical injuries, drawing a distinction between investigators describing the encounter as “dragging” and Concepcion describing it as “escorting.”
But prosecutors pushed back, and the judge ultimately found probable cause for the case to proceed, according to WFTV.
Parents send their children to school expecting teachers to educate and protect them, not to have allegations like this emerge from inside a classroom.
And in this case, investigators say there is surveillance footage that could become a critical piece of evidence as the case moves forward.
Prosecutors initially sought a $5,000 bond, but the judge reduced Concepcion’s bond to $1,000.
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She was also ordered to have no contact with the student and prohibited from returning to Tuskawilla Middle School for the time being.
Seminole County Public Schools placed Concepcion on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
The district said in a statement that it takes allegations concerning student safety seriously and will continue cooperating with law enforcement and its Office of Professional Standards.
Concepcion is scheduled to return to court on November 10.
