An elementary school special education teacher in Attleboro, Massachusetts, has been charged with assaulting two autistic students, police report. The accused teacher, Susan Martin, 57, allegedly slapped a 5-year-old in the face and pushed and slapped another child of the same age on November 26 at Thacher Elementary School. These incidents were reported to have been witnessed by several other staff members.

Following the allegations, the school placed Martin on administrative leave and later contacted authorities. According to a NBC Boston report, the first incident occurred around 11:55 a.m. and the second at approximately 1 p.m. Police stated that Martin was asked to leave the school before the school administration reported the incident to the police, and she subsequently left the state on a pre-planned vacation to Florida.

Upon her return, Attleboro police located Martin at her residence in Kingston, where she was taken into custody without incident. She is now facing two counts of assault and battery on a person with an intellectual disability. After her arraignment in Attleboro District Court, Martin was released on personal recognizance with the conditions to stay away from the victims and to have no unsupervised contact with children younger than 16, as reported by WCVB.

In a statement obtained by NBC Boston, Attleboro Public Schools Superintendent David Sawyer expressed dismay over the incidents, noting, "The allegations represent a profound betrayal of the trust our community places in educators and the values we hold dear as a public school district." He assured that the safety and well-being of students remain the district's highest priorities and that they are collaborating with law enforcement in the investigation.

The case has raised concerns about the treatment of children with disabilities in schools. Martin is set to return to court on January 23. School officials are supporting affected families as the investigation continues.