Blackstone Valley Prep Teacher Charged With Slapping 3 Special Needs Students

CUMBERLAND, RI — A Blackston Valley Prep teacher was charged with slapping three special needs students.

Djamila Vaz Rosa, 39, first attracted the attention of the law Feb. 11 when officers were called to the school "for the report of a teacher who was alleged to have assaulted two separate special needs students by slapping them in the head," the Cumberland Police Department said in a media release.

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"The school was alerted to this conduct late in the afternoon on the previous day and contacted the Police Department first thing in the morning" Feb. 11, according to the release.

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While probing the complaints, a third student's family went to the police to "report an additional similar incident" involving Vaz Rosa, who is a Pawtucket resident, the release said.

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Officers obtained a warrant for Vaz Rosa's arrest on felony charges of second-degree child abuse, according to the release.

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Vaz Rosa, who has no criminal history, surrendered to police Wednesday, was arraigned before a justice of the peace and released, according to police.

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