A special-education teacher at Palm Terrace Elementary School in Daytona Beach turned herself in Thursday and was charged with one count of child abuse stemming from accusations that surfaced in September.
Police this week got a warrant to arrest Harriett Nelson, 57, but she turned herself into the Volusia County Branch Jail, where she posted a bond of $1,500 and was released Thursday evening.
Nelson was removed from her exceptional special-education classroom Sept. 6 and temporarily reassigned to a district office after the allegation surfaced and the district launched an investigation, said Nancy Wait, spokeswoman for the Volusia County school district.
On Sept. 7, an investigator with the Department of Children & Families filed a report with the Daytona Beach Police Department after it received a complaint that Nelson hit and pinched some students.
Wait would not provide details of the alleged abuse, but a police report quotes witnesses who alleged Nelson punished a 10-year-old disabled student by twisting his arm behind his back. The report also shows that Nelson allegedly hit a disabled 9-year-old student by hitting him on the head several times.
Nelson was hired by the school district in 1998 as a substitute teacher until she was hired as a full-time special-education teacher in 2004, Wait said. Nelson is certified as a special-education teacher and has a master’s degree in special education. Her personnel file shows no other disciplinary action taken against her, Wait said.
