Makeshift cage found in Fresno classroom
A Fresno elementary school teacher allegedly locked a 7-year-old girl with a seizure disorder in makeshift cage constructed inside a first grade classroom. [Fresno Bee]
The child’s parent, Ledelldra Brooks, says she made an unannounced visit to her child’s special education classroom at Viking Elementary School in May and found her daughter in the cage wearing a soiled diaper. Brooks called the police and has since obtained a lawyer and filed two claims against the teacher and school administrators.
The cage consisted of a toddler gate and a crib gate attached to bookshelves, a photo shows. When officers arrived, they dismantled the cage and interviewed the aides of special education teacher, Teresa MonPere.
Police forwarded the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office as a potential case of misdemeanor child abuse. But, no charges have been filed, and no arrests occurred.
Fresno Unified School District placed MonPere on administrative leave, but she is now working at a different elementary school, she said.
