Keller teacher held down autistic toddler for 10 minutes, police say
A Keller elementary school teacher was arrested Wednesday, April 1, after she was accused of holding down an autistic 4-year-old during nap time, Keller police said.
The child’s parent came to the Keller Police Department on March 3 to report that Charissa Newport, a teacher at Shady Grove Elementary School, restrained the child for about 10 minutes during nap time on Feb. 9, police said in a news release on Friday.
During their investigation, police learned that a teacher’s aide reported to the principal about having witnessed the incident. The principal and aide cooperated with police during the investigation.
Newport, 45, faces a charge of unlawful restraint of a child under the age of 17 and has since been released on bond from the Keller Regional Detention Center.
A defense attorney for Newport is not yet listed in court records. Keller ISD offices were closed on Friday for the Good Friday holiday.
The investigation is ongoing, and police ask anyone with information to contact Detective Garrett at jgarrett@cityofkeller.com.
