Gary Indiana mother accused of violent attack school staff
Gary IN Sept 28 2018 A Gary mother who is accused of repeatedly striking staff members after she learned her 8-year-old son went missing from his school was charged Thursday with three felonies and four misdemeanors.
On Sept. 13, Latashay Bonner, 30, got into an alleged violent altercation with a Marquette Elementary School teacher and administrator. Police were called to the scene after the mother allegedly pushed the two staff members down, kicked them both and repeatedly struck one of them, according to police.
Bonner was not in custody as of Thursday night and a warrant was out for her arrest.
At 1:30 p.m., Bonner arrived at Marquette Elementary School after her son went missing from school property during school hours. She began yelling and cursing at the principal in the main foyer in front of students, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in the case.
After the incident, Bonner called The Times, saying she was angry that she felt not enough people were looking for her son, who was later found safe.
The school resource officer, who was outside looking for the boy, requested Bonner meet with him outside of the school.
After Bonner gave the officer a piece of her son’s clothing to help the K-9 unit search for the boy, she returned to the school to speak with the principal.
When the principal opened her office door, Bonner started yelling at her, asking why there was only one person looking for her child, the affidavit states.
Bonner then allegedly pushed the principal to the ground, kicking her in the leg.
The mother said she “grabbed for the principal,” but the principal closed the office door in her face.
“I didn’t touch her,” Bonner told The Times.
A teacher then asked Bonner to leave and Bonner allegedly pushed the teacher to the ground. The teacher landed on her stomach and Bonner climbed on top of her, sat on her hips and allegedly struck her in the back of the head several times with her fist, the report said.
The teacher reported to have had several lumps on her head from being struck, rug burn and swollen lips from hitting the floor.
Bonner told The Times she hit the school employee first. She said she went “a little crazy” when she heard her son was missing.
Two other teachers pulled Bonner off of the teacher on the ground, who Bonner allegedly continued to kick at, stomping the teacher’s hip.
According to the affidavit, Bonner addressed all of the staff saying, “Which of you [expletives] want some more?” before exiting the school. Bonner then drove to where she was told her son was found, police said.
Police said they did not witness the altercation while it was happening, but came to the school after staff called authorities.
Marquette staff next contacted police at 3:26 p.m
The boy went missing from school when staff said they notified his mother that he had engaged in inappropriate behavior with a female student at the school. Police said initial reports did not indicate the nature of the alleged inappropriate behavior.
He initially ran out of the principal’s office, according to the affidavit, and the principal ran after him and was able to convince him to get back into the school.
The 8-year-old then ran out of the school a second time, and teachers were not able to catch him. According to the report, the boy gave a teacher an incorrect name and she contacted the wrong parent, initially.
After staff found out the boy’s correct name, they asked Bonner to come to the school.
After the school notified authorities the boy was missing, police responded to the area of Hemlock Avenue and North Grand Boulevard 2 p.m. on Sept. 13, with a K-9 unit to help search for the child. The boy was found safe a couple hours after the incident, according to police.
The felony charges include two counts of criminal confinement, one Level 5 and one Level 6, and one Level 6 felony count of battery resulting in moderate bodily injury.
The misdemeanor charges include two counts of battery resulting in bodily injury, both class A misdemeanors, and two counts of battery, both class B misdemeanors.
Both the administrator and teacher went to the hospital after the incident, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in the case.
nwitimes
