SHAWNEE, Kan. (WAND) – A teacher seen on video kicking a 5-year-old child may face criminal charges.
NBC News reports Crystal Smith is shown on Feb. 21 video pulling the girl out from a bookshelf she was lying in, walking away, then coming back and kicking her while another adult in the room couldn’t see what was happening. Shawnee Mission School District in Kansas confirmed with the network that the child was kicked at Bluejacket-Flint Elementary School.
Viewers can watch the video here.
Smith lost her job weeks later on March 15. The district first put her on administrative leave.
The child’s mother asked to remain anonymous when she told NBC News she found red marks on the girl’s arm. She says her daughter told her the teacher hit her. The situation left the parent “deeply disturbed”.
"As a parent, I trusted the school with my daughter's safety, and had I not pushed to find information on my own, the safety of all those students could still be at risk," she said. "No other family should have to experience this, and I hope school officials take meaningful action to prevent and respond to future incidents.”
Dan Zmijewski is the family’s attorney. He says they are pursuing a civil suit.
The Johnson County District Attorney’s Office told NBC News it is reviewing the case.
