Paraprofessional Accused of Using Excessive Force on Students

LAKE COUNTY, IL — A former Special Education District of Lake County paraprofessional faces charges for allegedly using excessive force and injuring four students at Gages Lake School. Nicholas Izquierdo, 30, of the 2900 block of West Glen Flora Avenue in Waukegan, is charged with six counts of reckless conduct and is expected to appear in bond court in Lake County Friday afternoon, according to a news release from the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

Authorities launched an investigation into Izquierdo after the parents of a 7-year-old child contacted the Lake County Sheriff’s Office on May 19 to report that they believed their child was injured by Izquierdo while their son was a student at Gages Lake School. The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office and Illinois Department of Children and Family Services assisted in the investigation and the Special Education District of Lake County cooperated with the probe.

During the investigation, more incidents were uncovered following a review of video surveillance at the facility. Additional parents also came forward alleging their children were handled excessively by Izquierdo, according to the news release. Authorities interviewed children involved in the incidents as welll as hours of video surveillance.

Employees were also interviewed and subpoenas were issued for school and employment records of the staff involved in the incident, according to the news release.

"The investigation revealed Izquierdo did not use proper techniques and acted recklessly on six separate occasions that led to children receiving minor injuries," according to a statement from the sheriff's office. "During several instances, Izquierdo grabbed a child by the leg and pulled, causing the child to fall to the ground. In other instances, Izquierdo pushed or pulled a child, causing the child to fall or strike a wall. Izquierdo also grabbed a child by the arm and twisted it."

The school in Gages Lake is a public elementary therapeutic day school for children in early childhood programs through sixth grade with significant emotional and behavioral needs, according to a news release. The focus of the program is to provide therapeutic interventions to help students manage their social emotional needs while developing their academic skills.

Students attending the school routinely suffer from emotional outbursts, which can lead to students becoming combative with teachers, authoities noted. Staff members are trained to use approved de-escalation strategies up to and including a “physical restraint” hold when necessary to protect themselves and the students. The hold is designed to keep the student secure until the emotional outburst subsides, according to the news release.

“Teachers and school paraprofessionals have a career which is rewarding and at times challenging. While I understand it may be stressful when interacting with children who are physically acting out, there is a line which may never be crossed – adults, particularly adults who’ve received training on the proper way to restrain a child in these situations, cannot use excessive force," Lake County Sheriff John Idleburg said. "We wish nothing but the very best for the victims in this case and their families.”

Izquierdo was arrested by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Warrants Team at 12 p.m. Friday at a business in Vernon Hills. He remains held in the Lake County jail pending his initial court hearing this afternoon.

The charges in Lake County come a day after a former Burlington Central District 101 school bus aid was charged with striking a student with special needs in the face, knocking out two of his teeth. Jean M. Micklevitz, 63, of Burlington is charged with aggravated battery in connection with the Oct. 2 incident.

• Bus Aide Knocks Out Teeth Of Student With Special Needs: Charges