An Orlando family has sued the Orange County School Board, alleging that a staffer at Magnolia School bit their autistic child during the school day in January 2025. The lawsuit, filed yesterday, claims the incident left visible bite marks and an open wound that required medical evaluation, testing, and prescriptions, and asks a jury to decide compensation from both the district and the employee.
According to ClickOrlando, the complaint, filed in Orange County Circuit Court, identifies the student as Ishaan Kottapalli and the aide as Ricky Hightower, a teacher’s aide and caregiver assigned to special needs students at Magnolia School. The suit says the alleged bite happened on Jan. 31, 2025, while Kottapalli was under Hightower's care.
What the complaint alleges
The lawsuit states that Hightower bit Plaintiff with his teeth on Jan. 31, 2025, causing visible bite marks and an open wound and triggering an internal investigation. The filing characterizes the conduct as intentional and seeks damages for both physical injury and emotional harm, as shown in the court complaint filed on Scribd.
Medical records and school notices
The complaint attaches an AdventHealth progress note describing a "human bite mark" and documenting orders for blood and wound cultures, HIV and hepatitis testing, and prescriptions that included Augmentin and mupirocin. It also states that OCPS sent parent notifications on Feb. 7 and Apr. 14, 2025, that Professional Standards marked the allegation confirmed and recommended disciplinary action, and that the district reported the matter to the Florida Department of Education for review, according to the filing posted on Scribd.
Where it happened
Magnolia School is an Orange County Public Schools special education campus that serves K through 12 students with disabilities and lists its address as 1900 Matterhorn Dr., Orlando, FL 32818, according to the Magnolia School profile on OCPS. The school site notes that Magnolia provides wraparound supports and individualized services for students with special needs.
Claims and next steps
The lawsuit brings a battery claim against Hightower and negligence claims against the School Board over supervision, training, and retention, and it seeks compensatory damages to be determined at trial. ClickOrlando reports that the filing offers few details about what led up to the alleged bite.
Why oversight matters
The complaint underscores the family's attempt to hold the district accountable in court and highlights how OCPS handled the allegation. Under Florida law, school districts must file written complaints with the Department of Education when alleged employee misconduct affects a student's health, safety, or welfare, and state rules governing those reporting requirements and the Department's investigatory authority are laid out in Florida Statutes §1012.796.
