Former employee accused of injuring special needs students at Lake County school
A former paraprofessional who worked with special needs students at Gages Lake School is accused of using excessive force on them, authorities said.
Nicholas Izquierdo, 30, of the 2900 block of West Glen Flora Avenue in Waukegan, faces six misdemeanor reckless conduct charges alleging he caused minor injuries to four students while working at the Special Education District of Lake County building in Gages Lake.
Izquierdo is being held at the Lake County jail and was scheduled to appear before a judge Friday afternoon for a bond hearing.
Gages Lake School is a public elementary therapeutic day school for early childhood through sixth-grade students with significant emotional and behavioral needs.
Students attending the school routinely suffer from emotional outbursts that can lead them to become combative with teachers. Employees are trained to use approved de-escalation strategies, including a "physical restraint" hold - designed to keep the student secure until the emotional outburst subsides - when necessary to protect themselves and the students.
On May 19, the parents of a 7-year-old enrolled at Gages Lake School reported that their child was injured by Izquierdo.
The Lake County sheriff's office, the Lake County state's attorney's office, and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services reviewed video footage and found several occasions when excessive force was used, officials said. More parents also came forward alleging their children had been handled too aggressively by Izquierdo.
According to the news release, the investigation found that Izquierdo did not use proper techniques and acted recklessly on six separate occasions that resulted in minor injuries to children. In several instances, Izquierdo grabbed a child by the leg and pulled, causing the child to fall to the ground, and pushed or pulled a child, causing the child to fall or hit a wall. He also grabbed a child by the arm and twisted, authorities said.
"While I understand it may be stressful when interacting with children who are physically acting out, there is a line which may never be crossed. Adults, particularly adults who've received training on the proper way to restrain a child in these situations, cannot use excessive force," Lake County Sheriff John Idleburg said.
In a statement to parents, Valerie M. Donnan, superintendent of the special education district, said Izquierdo has not been on the Gages Lake campus since the allegations were lodged May 19. She said the district reported the matter to authorities and cooperated with the investigation.
The district provided refresher training to the staff at the Gages Lake school and has "worked with an outside consultant to develop a more robust ongoing training and monitoring schedule for all SEDOL faculty and staff," she said.
"I can assure you that every day, we are steadfast in our commitment to support your children in a safe and productive environment," Donnan told parents.