Actions

Mom ‘had panic attack’ after teacher allegedly put kids in closet as punishment

Posted at 5:59 PM, May 17, 2019
and last updated 2019-05-17 18:28:31-04

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- Two Chesterfield moms are nervous wrecks after an alleged incident at Salem Church Elementary School on Thursday, May 9.

"I was giving my son a bath, and he said, 'Hey, Mom. I went to the office twice today,'" Tonya Russomamo, said. "And I'm like, 'What? What do you mean?'"

"She had called me and while I'm on the phone with her my son is saying the same exact story," Kaitlynn Gordon said.

That story involves four kindergarten boys and their teacher allegedly pulling them into a closet and shutting the door behind her.

"To be screamed at because they didn't act right during stations," Gordon said.

Melissa Hipolit, Tonya Russomamo and Kaitlynn Gordon.

Melissa Hipolit, Tonya Russomamo and Kaitlynn Gordon.

Chesterfield Police confirmed they are investigating a report that a known adult female may have assaulted several students at the school.

"Even thinking about it now, I cried, I had a panic attack dropping him off in this parking lot this morning," Gordon said.

The moms claim the school did not tell them about the incident, and instead they learned about it from their kids, yet when they went to the school this Thursday to ask about it, the principal told them she knew why they were there.

"We deserve more answers than what we've been given," Russomanno said.

Salem Church Elementary School

Salem Church Elementary School

Moments after our interview with the moms, the principal at Salem Church sent an email to them stating their son's teacher was not returning to the school and a substitute teacher would be there for the remainder of the school year.

"I feel like she shouldn't be allowed to teach anymore," Gordon said.

WTVR CBS 6 asked a spokesperson for Chesterfield Schools about the incident, and he referred us to the letter sent by the school’s principal to parents that said the teacher would not be returning.

CBS6-News-at-4pm-and-Jennifer-Hudson-480x360.jpg

Entertainment

Watch 'The Jennifer Hudson Show' weekdays at 3 p.m. on CBS 6!

📱 Download CBS 6 News App
The app features breaking news alerts, live video, weather radar, traffic incidents, closings and delays and more.