JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A cafeteria worker accused of stomping on an elementary school student's foot has been charged with felony child abuse, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said.
Shanika Smith, 29, was arrested Wednesday at Cedar Hills Elementary School after the April 1 incident in which she is accused of intentionally stepping on a student's foot a day after the student stepped on her foot. The boy apologized, police said, but the next day, Smith retaliated, stepping on the student as he went through the line.
He screamed and walked to the office. According to a witness, Smith also pulled the victim's hair and said, "You won't step on anyone else's foot."
When police interviewed the boy, he had on a soft cast.
Shanika Smith was released on her own recognizance Thursday afternoon.
News4Jax crime and safety analyst Gil Smith, a former school resource officer, said when administrators break up fights, sometimes they have to put their hands on the children, but retaliation toward a child is uncalled for.
"Any intentional act by an adult that would reasonably cause any type of physical or mental harm to someone under 18 is considered child abuse," said Gil Smith, who is no relation to Shanika Smith. "That's why they made the arrest."
Gil Smith said these types of incidents are rare but are prime examples of why parents need to have open communication with their children.
"Not only asking the child if anything happened that day but also let the child know that if anything does happen to let them know after school what happened, then the parent can decide what course of action (he or she) needs to take," Gil Smith said.
Chartwells, the food service provider for Duval County Public Schools, issued a statement about Smith's arrest:
“School administrators and Chartwells first learned of this incident on Monday, April 4 and began an investigation. Chartwells and Duval County Public Schools take all allegations of threats and acts of physical harm committed against our students and faculty seriously, and are fully cooperating with local law enforcement and agencies. The employee will not be allowed to work in a Duval County Public School, and additional discipline by Chartwells is also pending the investigation.”