6-Year-Old Faces Battery Charge In School Incident

Last updated on Thursday, April 26, 2012

(SHELBYVILLE) - A 6-year-old boy was arrested last week on a battery charge after he assaulted a school staff member, Shelbyville police said.

Officers were called to Hendricks Elementary School on April 18 concerning a student who school officials described as out of control, Shelbyville police said Wednesday.

"The student had physically assaulted a staff member by kicking them," Shelbyville police Lt. Michael Turner said in a news release.

When an officer arrived, he said the student was still belligerent.

"The officer was able to walk the student out to his patrol vehicle and calm him down," Turner said.

According to a police report, the boy kicked the school's principal and told two staffers that he was going to kill them.

The boy's parents were contacted and were told to pick the boy up at the police department, authorities said.

"The juvenile was transported to the police department in a patrol vehicle," Turner said. "The juvenile was not restrained in any handcuffs or any other restraints."

Police said the school cited other incidents involving the same child and told them that the boy had previously been suspended after hitting and biting staff.

Principal Pat Lumbley told RTV6's Jack Rinehart that the arrest was a last resort in an attempt to get help for the boy.

"As you can see, I'm a big guy. I've been kicked, many, many times," he said. "It wasn't about just being kicked. This was about getting him help."

Lumbley said the boy's parents have been very involved with his education.

Cathy Flowers, who lives near the family, said the boy has always been polite.

"To my way of thinking, people just don't arrest a 6-year-old. There are other ways to handle that," she said.

Lumbley said the boy's educational needs are still being met at the school, but not a classroom setting.

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