Teacher In Vernon System Charged Amid 'Student Abuse' Investigation

VERNON, CT — A teacher in the Vernon public school system has been charged and suspended amid accusations that she mistreated a special needs student.

Vernon police released the details of the March 15 arrest of Amanda Bilyeu Wednesday after Patch filed a Freedom of Information request.

According to a report issued by police, Vernon Police Department detectives received a complaint about the "abuse" of a student at Northeast Elementary School. A subsequent investigation determined that Amanda Bilyeu, 29, had "physically assaulted" a student, according to a police report.

On March 15, Bilyeu was taken into custody on the strength of an active arrest warrant issued by Rockville Superior Court. Bilyeu has been charged with risk of injury to a minor and third-degree assault. She was released on a written promise to appear in court Wednesday.

Vernon Superintendent of Schools Joseph Macary said Bilyeu was in her first year in the school system. She was placed on administrative leave at the outset of the DCF investigation. Macary said school system officials contacted both the state Department of Children and Families and the local police department soon after the accusations were made.

"The safety and welfare of our students is a top priority in Vernon and we took swift action," Macary said. "We are awaiting the findings of a police and DCF investigation to determine consequences."

According to a warrant, a staff member told administrators that Bilyeu forced a 4-year-old, non-verbal autistic student to a classroom carpet twice on March 10. The first time was a struggle over the student's favorite chair that resulted in the student hitting his head on a bookshelf and the second was while students were organizing for dismissal and the student hit his head on a wall, according to a warrant. Bilyeu's response to the student crying after the first incident was to tell him "natural consequences," according to a warrant.

The student's parents demanded that charges be filed, according to a warrant. Bilyeu was uncooperative with the investigation when asked to come in to explain her side of the story, citing both union advice and confusion over whether she or the union was arranging counsel, according to a warrant.

Authorities said the case remains under investigation and anyone with information can call the Vernon Police Department at 860-872-9126.