NORTH TEXAS (WBAP/KLIF News ) – The North Richland Hills Police Department has contacted the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations following an investigation they said revealed several unreported complaints against a particular therapist at ABA Interactive Therapy Center.
They’re also concerned about potential violations for failure to report child abuse.
The school is designed to help children with autism learn in a controlled environment. Now they’re facing a $1 million lawsuit which accuses the enter of vicarious liability, negligence, negligent hiring, training, supervision, retention and gross negligence.
According to a lawsuit, the parents of a non-verbal autistic Arlington 7-year-old found a scratch on their son’s face on June 20.
The family claims the school told them the child had a behavioral outburst and scratched himself. The school is accused of denying the parents access to a video of the incident due to school policy.
However, the parents eventually obtained a copy of the video. The lawsuit claims the video shows a therapist “picking up the child by his collar. The therapist then pushes the boy into a corner, stepping on another autistic child in the process, and threw the boy against a wall with her hands around his neck.”
In a news release, North Richland Hills Police said it received a report about an alleged assault of a child on June 27.
Police have obtained an arrest warrant for the therapist in question. She could face second-degree felony injury to a child charge.
“The North Richland Hills Police Department remains committed to ensuring the safety and well being of all children in our community,” said the agency in a statement Tuesday.
The department encouraged anyone with information about the incident to call 817-427-7030.
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