A former Hueco Elementary principal is now facing criminal charges after security footage and court filings showed him grabbing and pulling a 5-year-old student with autism during an emotional episode in the school cafeteria. The child was left with injuries to the arms and legs, and the case is fueling fresh scrutiny over how local schools handle behavioral crises involving students with disabilities.
Indictment and charges
Greg Hatch was formally indicted on May 27. According to court records, the indictment alleges he “did then, and there intentionally or knowingly cause bodily injury” to “a disabled individual or a child 14 years of age or younger,” as reported by KFOX14. The indictment follows Hatch’s earlier arrest and lays out the criminal allegation tied to the Hueco Elementary incident.
Security video and affidavit
Surveillance video and the arrest affidavit describe what unfolded in the Hueco cafeteria on Sept. 3, 2025. During an emotional episode, the 5-year-old student with autism crawled under a table. The documents say Hatch then grabbed the child by the legs and pulled the student out, picked the child up by the armpits, and forcefully sat the student down, actions that allegedly caused injuries to the arms and legs, according to KVIA.
Arrest and bond
Hatch was arrested on Sept. 30, 2025, by Socorro ISD police and booked into the El Paso County jail. Jail records cited by KTSM show he posted a $5,000 surety bond and was released the same day. When the arrest first became public, district officials characterized it as a personnel matter and declined to go into further detail.
What the charge means
Under Texas law, causing bodily injury to a child or a disabled individual is treated as a serious offense. Texas Penal Code §22.04 spells out the crime and notes that “disabled individual” can include a person with autism. Whether a case is handled as a misdemeanor or a felony hinges on the level of injury and other conditions listed in the statute. The full definition and elements are laid out in Texas Penal Code §22.04.
Local context
The indictment lands in a community already on edge about how schools respond to students with behavioral and special education needs. Earlier in 2025, a former El Paso ISD special education teacher was charged with multiple counts of bodily injury to a child, a case that raised alarms about training, supervision, and accountability in local classrooms, as previously reported by KVIA.
Case status and district comment
Prosecutors presented the evidence to a grand jury, which returned the May indictment. Public records show the case remains active in El Paso courts and is moving through the standard judicial process. Socorro ISD has reiterated to reporters that it will not comment beyond describing the situation as a personnel matter, according to KFOX14.
Parents and advocates watching
Court documents state that the child’s family asked investigators to pursue charges. Local advocates say the case underscores long-standing concerns about protocols, training, and staffing for students with disabilities, according to reporting by KTSM. Prosecutors and district officials have not provided additional comment beyond court filings and their earlier brief statements to the media.
