ANDERSON, Ind. — Former Anderson Schools interpreter Stephanie Arteaga is preliminarily charged with battery on a child under the age of 14 and official misconduct.
Prosecutors have filed to give Arteaga habitual offender status.
Arteaga was fired from Anderson Intermediate School on Aug. 30, over allegations that she duct-taped an 11-year-old student's mouth shut, pulled her hair, sat on her and hit her with a ruler, according to our newsgathering partners at the Herald Bulletin.
Arteaga could face up to two-and-a-half years in prison if convicted.
The principal told police Arteaga had alcohol on her breath when he confronted her about what happened. She reportedly told police she had a drink before class and "one later in the day when she is not around students."
Arteaga told police she was acting as a substitute teacher when the incident happened. According to court documents, she said the girl was being disruptive and admitted to the allegations, though she described pulling the girl's hair as "playful." She said she hit the student's finger once with a ruler.
A staff member with Kids Talk said there was a bruise on the girl's hand consistent with being hit by a ruler.
The girl told police that Arteaga dragged her by her hair to the teacher's chair at the front of the room. She said Arteaga taped her mouth shut then hit her on the hands and face with a ruler while sitting on the child's legs.
The student told police Arteaga "stated that she had performed these actions to another student in the past and she did not get fired so she didn't care if (the student) told on her."
The student's mother told the Herald Bulletin that Arteaga called the sixth grade girl "disruptive" during class. The mother said she was contacted by the school on Aug. 30.
“I was told the teacher admitted to sitting on my daughter and taping her mouth,” she said. “The other students told the principal what happened."
This isn't the first time Arteaga was reported in an incident with students, according to school officials.
“We were made aware of an incident last year involving her and a child outside of school,” Brad Meadows, director of community engagement with ACS, said in a statement.
“We reported it to the Department of Child Services,” Meadows said. “She was placed on leave during their investigation. She was cleared of any charges and able to return to her position last school year.”
"Administrators and staff members at Anderson Intermediate School have maintained close contact with the family of the student and are available to provide any services that the student may need," Meadows said.