Incident at Florida Christian School Involves Abuse Allegations

A teacher at a Christian school in Florida has allegedly been filmed “forcibly” slamming a special needs student to the floor and subjecting him to repeated abuse, according to various reports and authorities.

Nicole Marie Rodriguez, 29, from Miramar, was taken into custody Thursday for her involvement in several abuse incidents, captured on security footage at Peace Christian Academy in Hialeah on March 4.

The alleged victim, an 8-year-old boy diagnosed with autism and ADHD, is generally not known to exhibit violent behavior. Rodriguez has been his teacher since August 2024, per details in the arrest report.

The footage reportedly shows Rodriguez interacting with the boy just before 11 a.m., during which she “appeared to physically assist” him by grabbing his left arm. However, she then grabbed his right arm and bicep, spinning him around aggressively.

That same day, Rodriguez was apprehended on charges of suddenly restraining the boy while he sat quietly on the floor, with his arms pulled behind his back.

Witnesses noted that another student in the room covered his eyes and ears due to the distressing scene, as the boy “struggled against the restraints” and appeared to be in pain.

Rodriguez allegedly “forcefully slammed” the boy’s upper body and head against the classroom floor, continuing to restrain him by pinning his arms and applying pressure to his upper body, according to the arrest report.

Police indicated that after the altercation, she pushed the boy’s head against a corner of the classroom, rested her torso on him, and forced him against a table, which frightened the boy and made him attempt to escape.

Following the incident, it was noted that Rodriguez did not provide any care for the boy, and his mother later discovered injuries, including a “small puncture wound” on his biceps, along with bruises and scratches on his chest and arms.

An internal report from the school claimed the incident was an attempt at “supportive de-escalation” meant to prevent harm. However, investigators stated that surveillance footage proved otherwise.

The arrest report noted that the boy “can understand simple instructions but struggles to express more than basic requests.”

Rodriguez was booked at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on charges of child abuse without causing great bodily harm and was subsequently released on a $5,000 bond.

Her attorney, Christopher Plassitt, claimed in court, “It was a child who was assaulting her, and she was in custody.” Peace Christian Academy has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the incident.