A joke made by an elementary school student elicited a violent response from a teacher, who is accused of striking the child and his brother before continuing the assault in a bathroom, according to a new lawsuit.
Patrick Williams grabbed the 9- and 6-year-olds by the necks after one of them called him a name in the cafeteria at Bennettsville Primary School in Marlboro County, South Carolina, on February 1, 2023, according to a lawsuit filed November 12.
According to the lawsuit, Williams, who stands 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 240 pounds, pushed both boys into cafeteria tables and into the air before carrying them into a lavatory while workers stood by.
“He restrained them inside while forcibly touching and grabbing them additional times,” according to the complaint.
According to attorney Roy Willey, who represents the children’s guardian, one of the brothers referred to Williams as a “tall boy” because of his height, as reported by a witness in a police incident report.
The guardian is suing Williams and the Marlboro County School District for a variety of claims, including assault and battery, intentional infliction of mental distress, and outrage.
Dr. Helena Tillar, the school district’s superintendent, did not respond to McClatchy News’ request for comment on November 14.
Information on Williams’ legal representation was not immediately available.
A district representative informed WBTW that they are “unable to comment on personnel matters and any items that are currently in litigation.”
Arrest made
Williams was arrested for third-degree assault following the altercation, according to Bennettsville Police Chief Kevin Miller, as reported by WPDE-TV last year.
Miller had been placed on administrative leave and was no longer employed by the school district, according to the TV station.
“I have young children, and this violent assault upon children by what should be a trusted adult is horrifying,” Willey told McClatchy News. “I cannot imagine the pain and fear these children felt.”
When shown video footage of the attack, Williams admitted that he “forcibly grabbed” both boys, but denied putting his hands on their necks.
School employees are accused of failing to act and not attempting to protect the students.
According to the incident report supplied to McClatchy News by the Bennettsville Police Department, camera evidence shows Williams “did jerk the juvenile victims around by the arms several times prior to slamming them against the cafeteria table seating.”
According to the investigation, Williams was also seen placing “his hands around or near the juvenile victims’ neck area, causing their heads to go back towards or onto the tabletop.”
The footage then showed Williams snatching one of the boy’s arms, throwing him in the air, “slinging him under his left arm” and bringing him to the bathroom, according to the report, which did not specify whether Williams brought the second boy into the bathroom.
When questioned by authorities, Williams stated that he did not remember putting his hands near the boys’ necks or throwing one of the children into the air and carrying him.
The present state of the criminal case against Williams is uncertain.
The assault resulted in “mental and physical injury,” according to the complaint.
Williams is also accused of false confinement, as the lawsuit claims the teacher restrained the boys in the restroom.
“Defendants conduct was so extreme and outrageous so to exceed all possible bounds of decency and is regarded as atrocious and utterly intolerable in a civilized society,” according to the complaint.
The case demands an undefined sum of damages, which will be assessed by a jury at trial.
“School is a place where children should feel safe, and when that safety is taken away from them it is hard to ever get it back,” Willey told the news organization McClatchy.
“We intend to shine a light on this important issue, which is becoming all too common across South Carolina and to hold the staff member and the school district accountable for this attack,” he told CNN.
According to WBTW, Willey stated at a news conference that the boys no longer attend school.