Nebraska City teacher, 2 aides charged with child abuse over treatment of special-needs child – IOTW Report

Nebraska City teacher, 2 aides charged with child abuse over treatment of special-needs child

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Authorities say they soaked him with dirty mop water. Pelted him with dodgeballs. Made him endlessly mop bathroom floors, climb high school stairs, sit in soiled pants and fall from his chair.

This wasn’t the stuff of fraternity members hazing a pledge but of public school employees tormenting a special-needs child, authorities allege.

One Nebraska City High School teacher has been charged with felony child abuse and two paraprofessionals have been charged with misdemeanor child abuse after allegations that audio and videotapes captured them bullying and belittling an autistic child last fall.

Melissa Valenta, a 50-year-old who taught for 28 years, faces a charge of felony child abuse-no injury. The paraprofessionals who were assigned to her class — Emily Kent, 40, and Deborah Stidd, 56 — have been charged with misdemeanor child abuse-no injury.

The mother of the child questions why a fourth woman, the wife of a school official, was not charged. The mom also has filed a complaint against the teaching certificate of a physical education teacher who also has not been charged.

Neither Nebraska City Superintendent Mark Fritch nor Nebraska City High School Principal Brian Hoover returned phone calls from the Omaha World-Herald.

Valenta has resigned her post, though she has denied wrongdoing. Stidd, who also denies wrongdoing, is suspended pending the outcome of the misdemeanor case, according to her attorney. Kent’s attorney did not return a phone call seeking comment.

Valenta and the paraprofessionals could be heard on audiotape or seen on videotape bullying — sometimes physically, other times emotionally — then-16-year-old Tristyn Egri, according to a Nebraska City police affidavit and audiotapes downloaded by Tristyn’s mother, Jennifer.

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8 Comments on Nebraska City teacher, 2 aides charged with child abuse over treatment of special-needs child

  1. I’m still reeling over those women who frightened those daycare children witless! As a reminder, they are: Sierra McCandless, Oci-Anna Kilburn, Jennifer Newman, Shyenne Shelton. A forth worker, Traci Hutson, was charged with misdemeanor child abuse for not reporting what was going on.

    If it hadn’t been for the parents raising the roof at the first court hearing, all would have been charged with misdemeanors. Now the main four are charged with felonies. But why should it take upset and involved parents to enforce the law? I cannot find anything about a trial, and they were charged in October.

    Sickening monsters, who terrorize and brutalize children.

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