A Virginia special education teacher is facing charges after she was allegedly seen assaulting a special needs student.
Amy Bonzano, 50, was arrested Friday and faces two counts of simple assault on a special needs student.
The incident at Marshall High School occurred on September 28, when another school employee reported witnessing the assault, Fairfax County police said.
That employee immediately reported the assault to the school administration, which led to an internal investigation.
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A Virginia special education teacher is facing charges after she was seen assaulting a special needs student.
(Fairfax County Police Department)
During the investigation, school officials discovered that another teacher had also witnessed Bonzano physically assaulting the student about six months earlier. That teacher, however, did not report the incident at the time.
Fairfax County police took over the investigation and Bonzano was arrested Friday.
Marshall High School Principal Jeffrey Liz wrote a letter to the students’ families after the arrest explaining that Bonzano had been placed on administrative leave after the Sept. 28 assault was reported.
“I am deeply saddened tonight to inform you that Fairfax County Police have announced the arrest of a special education teacher at Marshall High School who has been charged with assaulting a student,” Litz wrote. “When the alleged incident occurred on September 28, we contacted the family and the appropriate authorities, and placed the staff member on administrative leave.”
The incident at Marshall High School occurred on September 28, when another school employee reported witnessing the assault, Fairfax County police said.
(Fairfax County Public Schools)
Liz also said that the teacher who failed to report the above incident was also placed on administrative leave.
“As a police reference, the investigation resulted in a staff member sharing that he had witnessed a similar incident six months earlier, but failed to report it,” he wrote. “I want you to know that the person who did not report the above incident was immediately put on leave.”
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Amy Bonzano, 50, was arrested Friday and faces two counts of simple assault on a special needs student.
(Eric BARADAT / AFP / Getty Images)
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“As principal, my primary responsibility is the safety of everyone who walks through the doors of Marshall High School,” Litz continued. “This is something I take very seriously. As educators, we are entrusted with the well-being of the children in our care every day. We are deeply affected when someone seems to have broken that trust.”
Marshall High School did not immediately respond to a request for comment from FOX News Digital.
