Police arrested three ex-Texas high school employees after they allegedly tied up a disabled student’s hands and forced him to walk around class for hours. Krystina Rena Haas, June Renee Tryon, and Prisicilla Gutierrez were apprehended after the student’s grandmother noticed redness on his hands.
Details On Texas School Staffers Arrest For Restraining Disabled Student
PEOPLE reports that Krystina Rena Haas, June Renee Tryon, and Prisicilla Gutierrez were supervising the student with Down syndrome at the time. Per CBS19, Haas taught the class, while Tryon and Gutierrez reportedly worked as paraprofessionals in the room. Police reviewed security footage showing Haas forcing the student to walk in circles for over four hours. At one point, she allegedly even confronted them aggressively and yelled in their face. It was after that moment that Haas purportedly told Tryon to “get the tape.”
Krystina Rena Haas reportedly told police she got angry because the student allegedly made rude gestures and comments. However, she knew about his disability. Additionally, charging documents claim Tryon spoke to the student in a “demeaning” manner while Gutierrez sat at her desk crocheting the entire time.
School District Employees Respond To Incident Involving The Special Needs Student
Jennifer Hines, a spokesperson for the Tyler Independent School District, confirmed that the district fired the three female staffers after learning about the incident. She explained that the district made this decision because it takes student safety very seriously.
“This situation involved a student with disabilities, and while it did not include sexual acts or severe bodily harm, we take any breach of student safety with the utmost seriousness. These individuals are no longer employed by the district,” Hines said in a statement.
Dr. Marty Crawford, the school district’s superintendent, called the allegations against the former employees intolerable.
“This situation is appalling, disappointing, and disheartening—especially because it concerns our most vulnerable population. As educators and caretakers, we hold ourselves to the highest standards, and any violation of that trust is completely unacceptable,” Crawford said.
What’s Next For The Ex-High School Employees?
According to PEOPLE, police are holding Krystina Rena Haas, June Renee Tryon, and Prisicilla Gutierrez at the Smith County Jail in Tyler, Texas. Authorities have charged each of them with causing injury to a person with a disability. Haas faces a $300,000 bond, while Tryon and Gutierrez reportedly face a $150,000 bond each.
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