Mother of 5-year-old nonverbal boy, who suffered injuries after one of his teachers forcefully slammed him on the floor while the other kicked him in separate incidents caught on video, demands justice
Texas – In a disturbing case out of Texas, two elementary school teachers, identified as S. Madill and B. Henshaw, are facing mounting public pressure after surveillance footage revealed them assaulting a 5-year-old nonverbal autistic student in separate incidents on the same day. The teachers have since been terminated by the school district. But for the boy’s mother, identified as G. Rodriguez, losing their jobs is far from justice. She is now calling for criminal charges to be brought against both.
Though no formal charges have been filed yet, the disturbing footage has been sent to the District Attorney’s Office, where prosecutors are reviewing the case for possible assault or child abuse charges. The Texas Education Agency and the school district’s police department are also involved in the investigation. Internal classroom cameras captured the violent encounters on October 30. In one video, Henshaw is seen grabbing the child and slamming him to the floor with such force that doctors later confirmed the boy had a fractured and sprained ankle. Just less than an hour earlier, another clip reportedly shows her dropping the boy during a separate encounter. Later that same day, footage shows Madill kicking the child’s injured ankle while attempting to force him to walk despite the boy visibly limping and showing signs of pain.
When the child came home that afternoon, Rodriguez immediately noticed her son was distressed and limping. Unable to communicate due to his disability, he couldn’t explain what had happened. Alarmed, Rodriguez rushed him to urgent care, where a doctor diagnosed his broken ankle. The next morning, she demanded answers from school officials and was allowed to view the surveillance videos. What she saw, she said, was “devastating.” Rodriguez said her son’s nonverbal autism made the abuse even more horrifying, emphasizing that he couldn’t cry out for help or tell anyone what had happened. She said the teachers entrusted with his care instead “mishandled, ignored, and hurt” him in ways no child — especially one so vulnerable — should ever have to endure.
The school district later sent a letter to parents confirming that two teachers had been fired and that the incidents had been referred to both law enforcement and the Texas Education Agency. While the letter did not name Henshaw or Madill directly, it did confirm that the video evidence was serious enough to warrant outside investigation. Since the incident, the boy has not returned to school, and Rodriguez has begun speaking with attorneys about potential civil legal action. She insists that what happened wasn’t just a breach of trust — it was a criminal act.
As of now, the District Attorney’s Office continues to review the case, but no decision has been made about filing charges. The incident has become a flashpoint in discussions about classroom safety for students with disabilities and the legal accountability of school staff. Rodriguez vows she won’t stop pushing for justice. Job loss, she says, is not enough for what her son endured. “Justice,” in her words, means real consequences — and ensuring no other child suffers the way her son did when those meant to protect him became the ones who inflicted harm.
