A Texas kindergarten teacher was arrested after allegedly twisting a five-year-old boy’s arm and forcing him into a corner for breaking a pencil, authorities say.
Pamela Mitchell, 64, was taken into custody Thursday, more than a month after police say she attacked a young boy in her Waco classroom at J.H. Hines Elementary for snapping a pencil, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by KWTX News.
Court documents revealed that Mitchell grabbed the child, twisted his arm behind his back and dragged him out of his seat.
‘She used her knee and placed it in the center of the child’s back, forcing the child in the corner,’ according to the affidavit.
Mitchell was booked into the McLennan County Jail on Friday and charged with injury to a child, a third-degree felony that carries up to 10 years behind bars. She is being held on a $3,000 bond.
‘The student has recovered and is free from injury,’ WISD spokesperson Jill Anderson told the outlet.
‘We recognize the gravity of this situation and remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting the students in our care,’ she added.
According to the affidavit, the assault happened on January 8, after Mitchell briefly left the classroom and came back to discover a pencil the boy had allegedly broken.
Pamela Mitchell (pictured), 64, of Texas, was taken into custody Thursday, more than a month after police said she attacked a five-year-old boy in her classroom for breaking a pencil
Court documents revealed that Mitchell grabbed the child, twisted his arm behind his back and dragged him out of his seat at J.H. Hines Elementary in Waco (pictured)
WISD spokesperson Jill Anderson (pictured) told KWTX News: ‘The student has recovered and is free from injury,’ adding that Mitchell has been fired
After being told by her school aide what occurred while she stepped out, Mitchell allegedly lunged at the child and attacked him.
School officers were alerted to the alleged assault after the aide reported it to the Department of Family and Protective Services (CPS), according to KWTX.
An internal and CPS probe revealed that the five-year-old boy reported being injured after the violent interaction with his teacher.
‘During the internal school investigation and CPS investigation, the child was interviewed and told the principal that Pamela Mitchell’s actions caused the child pain,’ the documents read.
Waco Independent School District (ISD) police detained Mitchell on Friday, with a spokesperson confirming she is no longer employed by the district, according to the outlet.
‘Waco ISD is committed to the safety and well-being of every student,’ the district representative said.
‘We take every incident that risks the safety of our students seriously and investigate every report thoroughly to ensure our schools remain safe, supportive environments.’
Mitchell, who started at Hines Elementary in October 2024, was teaching while earning her certification, WISD spokesperson Jill Anderson told the outlet. She had previously worked as a substitute teacher.
The Daily Mail has reached out to the Waco Independent School District for comment.
