Florida School Principal Caught Mistreating 6-Year-Old Student by Punishing Her with a Paddle

A Florida school principal, Mellissa Carter, has been arrested and charged with battery after footage showed her flogging one of the pupils with a paddle.

Melissa Carter, the principal of Central Elementary School in Clewiston, has been criminally charged for the corporal punishment meted on a six-year-old pupil of the school.

Carter was caught on camera hitting the child on the butt in her office. The child’s mother, who mentioned that she was an undocumented immigrant, shared that she was present.

In the clip, the little girl could be seen bending over with her hands on a chair. One of the school’s staff members was also present, and she was the one who bent the child over.

The mom relayed that the principal informed her that her daughter broke a computer in the school and the cost of damage was summed up to $50, which she paid.

However, she and her daughter were summoned into the principal’s office. The displeased mother noted that she looked around but did not see any security camera in the office.

The percentage of calls received in connection to domestic violence increased amid the pandemic lockdown.

She recalled that the principal informed her that there would be paddling. However, the language barrier did not allow her to understand most of what was said before the caning started.

The 6-year-old’s mom shared that she was helpless while the principal repeatedly paddled her daughter. She pointed out that she could not do much because of her immigration status.

The unnamed mom recounted that she went on to record the incident while hiding her phone in her purse, adding that she feared that authorities might not believe her story.

The little girl’s mom relayed that she was bent on getting justice for her child. Following the paddling by the principal, she took her daughter to the hospital, where she further filmed the bruises.

According to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), the percentage of calls received in connection to domestic violence increased amid the pandemic lockdown.

The number was said to have risen up to 23% as opposed to the previous year, and this has amplified fears that children might face abuse from older people due to the pressure from the lockdown.