A woman and her niece have been arrested after allegedly attacking a teacher at a middle school last week.
According to police, 34-year-old Annika McKenzie attacked a middle school teacher, identified as Catherine Engelhardt, because she claimed the teacher had “put her hands” on her daughter.
McKenzie bypassed security, walked into her daughter’s school and confronted the teacher.
The teacher quickly called for security, and, according to authorities, McKenzie then shoved her into the wall, put her in a headlock and threw her to the ground. While she lay on the ground, she was allegedly kicked and punched by several students, including McKenzie’s niece.
Watch the video footage of the alleged beating below:
Both the niece and McKenzie have been charged with second-degree assault.
Hempstead Classroom Teachers Association President Elias Mestizo says that the image of Engelhardt lying apparently unconscious on the ground has rattled the educators:
Yesterday, we saw what we don’t want to see anywhere in any school,” Mestizo said. “Many teachers throughout the district and in this school also do not feel safe in the building, and there are reasons for that. And action needs to be taken immediately.
Engelhardt, who is recovering at home, said that she had been afraid for her safety in the school before but never expected something like this.
“It’s not like I thought a parent would do something, but I knew something violent was going to happen,” she told ABC7. “I’ve warned them time and again that the children have no respect for adults. Yes, I fear for my safety. They can’t control the kids.”