Kansas School Staff Member Locked Teen with Down Syndrome in Closet

An alarming incident has emerged from a rural school district in Kansas, where a paraeducator allegedly subjected a 15-year-old boy with Down syndrome to abusive treatment. A lawsuit filed in federal court details a distressing pattern of behavior, including forcing the boy into a utility closet, hitting him, and even photographing him locked inside a storage cage used for athletic equipment.

The suit, filed recently, claims that the paraeducator sent the troubling image to fellow staff members within the Kaw Valley district, making light of the situation and treating the boy in a manner that is described as both discriminatory and humiliating.

According to the allegations, the paraeducator lacked access to the keys for the cage where sports gear is stored and needed to seek help from other district employees to free the boy. The documentation does not specify the duration of time the child was confined within the cage, raising further concerns about the supervision and welfare of students with disabilities.

This legal action names the paraeducator, other personnel involved in special education, and the school district itself. The Kaw Valley district, which serves approximately 1,100 students, is based in St. Marys, located about 30 miles northwest of Topeka.

Attempts to reach representatives of the district for comment on the lawsuit were unsuccessful, as there are no attorneys listed in court records, and messages left did not receive immediate responses.

The lawsuit alleges that the boy was subjected to abusive treatment for behaviors that were either nonexistent or minor, entirely stemming from his disability. The allegations detail a series of troubling incidents where the paraeducator reportedly yelled derogatory remarks at the teen on a daily basis and physically restrained him by pulling on his shirt collar.

On at least one occasion, the paraeducator is accused of striking the boy in the neck and face. The child, who has difficulty communicating and often speaks in short phrases, managed to convey his distress by mentioning being “hit,” the “closet,” and the paraeducator’s first name.

In addition to verbal and physical abuse, the lawsuit claims that the paraeducator neglected the boy’s basic needs by forcing him to wear soiled clothing for extended periods and denying him food during lunchtime.

Concerns regarding the paraeducator’s conduct were reportedly raised by other staff members to the special education teacher overseeing the paraeducator, as well as to the district’s special education director. Despite previous complaints about the employee’s treatment of students with disabilities, no substantial intervention occurred, as noted in the lawsuit.

The defendants reportedly justified their abusive treatment as “tough love” and claimed that the extreme measures were necessary for managing the child’s behavior.

The lawsuit also alleges that the special education director instructed employees not to report their concerns to the state’s child welfare agency. However, when the teenager’s parents raised alarms about the treatment their son received, a district employee reported the situation to the agency, citing allegations of abuse and neglect.

As of now, there are no criminal charges filed against the paraeducator or other staff members named in the lawsuit, and no disciplinary actions appear in state education department records pertaining to the case.

Sadly, the lawsuit indicates that the boy’s well-being has significantly declined as a result of the alleged abuse. His parents assert that he now experiences severe anxiety, refuses to leave their home, has stopped using verbal communication, and engages in self-harm by punching himself.