Mum hides camera in nonverbal autistic son’s hair at school and was devastated at what she saw
Warning: This article contains discussion of child abuse which some readers may find distressing.
A mum who alleges her nonverbal autistic son was being abused at his school hid a camera in his hair to get footage of his experience, and is now calling for an investigation.
Earlier this month Tiphanee Lee appeared at a press conference where she spoke about her son Semaj and declared: "I am his voice, and I will speak for him.
"We trusted his school to protect him, to care for him, and to treat him with dignity. Instead, he was harmed, silenced and failed by the very people who were supposed to keep him safe."
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WDRB reports that Lee is calling for an investigation into Field Elementary School in Louisville, Kentucky, as she alleges her son was abused by a school employee.
Lee said that she and Semaj's father had been receiving complaints about their son for months which didn't sound like his typical behaviour, and she 'knew in her heart something was not right'.
She explained she 'ordered a camera to be my son's eyes, his ears, his voice', and hit it in Semaj's hair before he went to school on 13 May.
The footage she collected indicates a male voice sternly saying 'get over here', as well as another moment where one member of staff says they're leaving the room followed by an adult's voice saying 'get off of me now' followed by noises and then the sound of a child screaming.
The mum said that the footage was 'something no parent should ever see or hear', claiming: "Our child was put in a situation where he was scared, overwhelmed and powerless."
According to WDRB a spokesperson for Jefferson County Public Schools District said they were investigating the matter and the staff member had been reassigned.
People reports the day after the footage was taken the school principal sent out a letter to the families who had children at Field Elementary.
"I am reaching out to remind you that the safety of our students and staff is always our top priority," she wrote.
"This week, we have received calls and emails from parents and community members, regarding a social media post making allegations about a staff member.
"While I am unable to comment on actions regarding personnel, I want to assure you that we take these allegations seriously and are reviewing this incident with the district.
"We are following all JCPS policies and procedures to determine what happened and respond appropriately."
LADbible Group have contacted Jefferson County Public Schools District for further comment.
Joe Harker