Flagler County school employee arrested for striking student with disabilities

FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. — 69-year-old Cheryl Andrews of Palm Coast was arrested for child abuse with out great bodily harm following a more than minth-long investigation according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.

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FCSO was notified by the Department of Children and Families that Andrews had struck a student in the school’s cafeteria.

Camera footage from the school does show Andrews walking behind a student and then striking him.

The student is seen rubbing his head and pointing at Andrews, then she walks back and aggressively shoves his head and pulls his head close to her chest.

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She was later suspended when the Flagler County School District was notified.

FCSO began their investigation on Oct. 4 where they discovered the student was nonverbal.

FCSO received assistance from the University of Florida’s First Coast Child Protection Team who interviewed the victim with the parent’s consent.

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A witness was also interviewed, who told detectives Andrews is “very aggressive towards all the students” and her actions against the victim were unprovoked.

Andrews was also interviewed and admitted to striking the child unprovoked and told detectives she “didn’t know why she did that.”

Andrews also acknowledged she is aware the victim is a student with disabilities.

Andrews made her first appearance before a Judge Friday where she was ordered to have no contact with anyone under the age of 18.

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