Parents Say Autistic Children Returning From Roseville School With Bruises
ROSEVILLE (CBS13) — Several parents in Roseville claim their autistic children are returning from school with mysterious bruises.
The incidents were reported to Roseville police about two weeks ago. Parents say they suspected a Kindergarten special education teacher and two aides at Kaseberg Elementary are behind it.
But Roseville City Unified School District says the three employees were cleared from the investigation and allowed to return back to school this past Monday.
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We spoke to one of the complainants who asked to speak anonymously, as they fear for their daughter's safety.
"She kept saying, 'Ow.'"
Bruises were on the 5-year-old girl's legs that her parents say they can't explain.
"I should be able to trust in my school district to take care of my child, I feel like that's lost," said the girl's father.
Her parents first noticed a bruise on her palm a few days after she returned to school for the new school year at Kaseberg Elementary in Roseville.
"I was mad, I was shaking, I was scared," her father said.
The little girl is non-verbal and autistic. Her parents say she can't explain how she got the bruises.
On Wednesday, her father says he noticed the bruising on her legs.
"At this point, we were concerned and took her out of school immediately and filed a police report," the father added.
These parents aren't alone. The school district says parents of another autistic child filed a police report less than two weeks ago, complaining about mysterious bruises.
"Out of an abundance of caution and in cooperation with Roseville PD, we removed staff," said Superintendent Derk Garcia.
Garcia says the teacher and her two aides were investigated by Roseville police detectives and cleared because they found no evidence of a crime being committed. Garcia says the district follows a "bumps and bruises" protocol, where staff document and report incidents immediately, including to parents.
"I think there was a gap, it was the second day of school—not to make any excuses—there was an area where if we followed the process, much of this would have resolved itself," Garcia added.
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The little girl's parents say the school would always notify them whenever there was an incident. They say they believe this time wasn't an accident.
"Our trust is gone."
Although Roseville police detectives say there's no evidence a crime was committed in this case, the district says it's still going to bring in a behavioral specialist to monitor the classroom and the children.
