Attorneys: More Evidence of Abuse of Special Needs Student

Source: Hendricks County Jail / other

BROWNSBURG, Ind. — The attorneys for a former Brownsburg student say they now have another video showing his abuse at the hands of school personnel.

The special needs student was forced to eat his own vomit as several Brown Elementary teachers watched back in February of this year. Attorneys Catherine Michael and Tammy Meyer, who are still gathering evidence for their lawsuit, say that student was abused on another occasion around the same time.

There could be more students abused, says Michael and Meyer.

“It’s far beyond the two incidents that we’re now aware of,” says attorney Catherine Michael on WIBC’s Kendall and Casey show, “it concerns multiple other children.”

Michael says the worst part is some special needs students are non-verbal, so their parents are not able to figure out what happened to their child without the cooperation from the Brownsburg School Corporation.

Cooperation from the school corp. is something the attorneys claim they’re not receiving, “when we talk about push-back, it means we’re having to get them to be compelled by the order of a hearing officer to actually provide us what we’re asking for. They’re not doing it voluntarily.”

Catherine Michael goes on to describe the difficulties of getting legal documents, “we have affidavits were they’re claiming some documents never existed. That, for us, has been a big concern.”

Both attorneys were eventually allowed to enter the ‘quiet room’, where special needs students are apparently placed during the school day for various reasons.

“It is awful, and I went in it. The door got closed and I tell you, I wanted out of there really, really quickly,” says attorney Tammy Meyer, who spent time inside of the quiet room, “it’s a padded small closet with a bean bag chair that’s soiled. That’s where they’re putting these children.”

The attorneys say they’re still trying to track down witnesses, parents, teachers, and legal documents to strengthen their legal case against Brownsburg Schools. They claim they’re even facing trouble from Brownsburg School Police.

The child is now in a private school, but his mother is still struggling emotionally, say the attorneys.

If you’re a current or former teacher who may be able to provide more information to attorneys Catherine Michael and Tammy Meyer, you can make a call to 317-703-2170.