11-Year-Old Autistic Boy Assaulted By Educator At Brighton Beach’s P.S. 225

P.S. 225 in Brighton Beach (Source: Google Maps)
P.S. 225 in Brighton Beach (Source: Google Maps)

A Department of Education employee allegedly punched an 11-year-old autistic boy at Brighton Beach’s P.S. 225 (1075 Oceanview Avenue), leading to felony assault and other charges, reports the Daily News.

The paper reports:

Milton Parker, 58, a paraprofessional at Public School 225 in Brighton Beach, attacked the youngster last Thursday after he had spilled water on the floor, according to the boy’s father, Anatoly Veltman.
Parker ordered Anatoly, Jr., to clean up the spill, but the boy apparently did not understand what he meant — further enraging the supervisor. He grabbed the boy and punched him in the face, according to court papers.
“The police officer told me Mr. Parker said my son said ‘something racial’ to him,” Veltman told The News. “I spoke to my son and all he could say was he told (Parker) to ‘keep your hands to yourself.’”

The boy, who has the cognitive and social skills of a 6-year-old, was treated at Coney Island Hospital for a possible concussion and severe bruising of his face.

While paraprofessionals are assigned to supervise some special needs students, Parker was not assigned to Veltman.

School security cameras caught the incident on tape, which police reviewed. Parker was charged with felony assault, manacing, harassment and endangering the welfare of a child. He was been suspended without pay.