Pasadena school security guard fired after forcing girl to cover mouth with duct tape
Security guard duct taped girl's mouth, dad says
A sixth-grader had her mouth duct taped by a Pasadena school security guard at recess, according to the family. The school has fired the security guard, and the family has filed a police report.
PASADENA, Calif. - A security guard at Blair Middle School in Pasadena was let go, after being accused of making a 6th grader tape her mouth shut with duct tape, because the 11-year-old was apparently too loud during recess.
What we know:
Ricardo Hurtado, father of 11-year-old Noemi, told FOX 11 his daughter was playing with friends during a lunch break on March 26 when the female security guard asked her to quiet down, then sat her down and told her "to put on the duct tape on her mouth, or she'd do it for her".
According to the dad, the guard proceeded to walk the girl from the playground across the street, to her next class and asked her teacher to keep the tape on.
Another employee saw the incident and stepped in, removing the girl from the class and taking her to the principal to report the incident.
What they're saying:
Pasadena school district officials say the employee is no longer working with them. They sent FOX 11 the following statement, "The safety and well-being of our students are our top priority. We are aware of allegations involving a former substitute security officer. This individual is no longer employed by the district. While we cannot comment on pending litigation, we take concerns like this very seriously and are cooperating fully with the Pasadena Police Department. We are committed to maintaining a safe and supportive environment for our students."