A group of parents say their children with disabilities experienced “waterboarding-like torture” and other forms of abuse at the hands of two teacher’s aides at a Montana middle school.
Now, the teacher’s aides, Julie Parish and Kristina Marie Kallies, face felony charges of assault on a minor and endangering the welfare of children in connection with the alleged abuse in a special education classroom.
Witnesses say that students were subjected to water torture and forced to eat their own vomit. Further, parents say they suspect students were also confined to closets.
Parents noticed that students came home with bruises, bite marks, burnt fingertips and missing hair.
The students, who have a variety of disabilities including autism, Down syndrome and cerebral palsy, were unable to speak up about the problems due to their disabilities.
Both Parish and Kallies have resigned. If convicted, they face up to five and half years in prison, reports KFBB, the Helena, Mont. ABC affiliate.
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If they are convicted 5 years is not enough time for what they have done to these children. How long will our children continue being abused by school staff until the federal government steps in to protect them? When will we see federal laws put in place to protect all children with disabilities in the United States?
When I first hear of child abuse, my heart breaks for the children and for their families. I then get angry. Right now; I am angry. If these crimes were truly committed, five years is a joke. If a mother or father perpetuated these crimes on their own children, the school district would be the reporting (as they should) to the authorities and pushing for action. You know what might work? If we could waterboard these monsters that hurt children. Child abuse is evil, especially when the child is disabled. I always wonder how long the nightmare existed until someone spoke up. Let’s hope justice prevails and these children can heal quickly from this tragedy.