Deputies: Local teacher arrested on child abuse and false imprisonment charges

PALM BAY, Fla. — Palm Bay police arrested a teacher from Sunrise Elementary Thursday on child abuse and false imprisonment charges.

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During their investigation, PBPD discovered 41-year-old Beatriz Rapisarda pushed and retrained an intellectually disabled student by their wrists.

Deputies spoke to witnesses in the classroom when the alleged abuse occurred.

Witnesses told deputies that Rapisarda used the bathroom as a form of punishment and dragged the students by their arms.

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“The student tried to crawl away when the teacher then dragged the student to the bathroom on her back, by both wrists, and proceeded to hold the bathroom door almost completely shut as the student banged on it to exit the bathroom,” a witness told deputies.

According to reports, the student was in the bathroom for approximately eight to ten minutes.

This is not the first time Rapisarda has had an incident with said student, as one witness told deputies on Aug. 20 she is described as “wrapping” the student in styrofoam like a burrito.

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Rapisarda made her first appearance Friday at the Brevard County Jail.

In a statement, Brevard Public Schools tells Channel 9, “They are aware of an incident that led to the arrest of a teacher at Sunrise Elementary. The teacher has been placed on administrative leave while law enforcement conducts its investigation. The safety and security of our students is our number one priority. We are fully cooperating with law enforcement in their investigation.”

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