Teacher Accused of Putting Plastic Bag Over Girl's Head During Class

A fourth-grade teacher at Rosewood Elementary School in Los Angeles was charged today with a felony count of child abuse for allegedly putting a plastic bag over a 10-year-old girl’s head in class.

Thelmo Garcia, 37, is scheduled to be arraigned today in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom.

Garcia allegedly placed a plastic bag over the girl’s head during class Feb. 5, then removed the bag after several seconds, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

Garcia was arrested Wednesday off campus. He has remained jailed since then in lieu of $100,000 bail, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Inmate Information Center website.

Garcia was removed from the Rosewood campus in February, according to Ellen Morgan of the Los Angeles Unified School District.

“We take these allegations very seriously,” Morgan said in a statement. “The (school) district is fully cooperating with the LAPD investigation. Crisis intervention counselors are at the school today for any students who might be affected by the arrest. The safety of students is L.A. Unified’s highest priority.”

Garcia faces up to six years in state prison if convicted, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

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