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Teacher Given 5-Years-Probation For Abusing Autistic Child

FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) -- Teacher David Baier from the AEF School in Davie entered a plea, Monday, to two charges of child abuse.

"I'm going to adjudicate you guilty of child abuse and sentence you to 5-years-probation," said Judge Lynn Rosenthal.

One of those instances was caught on surveillance video.  It showed Baier pulling the hair of a 12-year-old boy with Autism and later showed him tossing the child to the ground.

This is one of the cases that prompted the judge to accept Baier's plea, in exchange for him being on probation for 5 years and giving up his teaching credentials and staying away from kids.  "That you no longer teach," ordered the judge, "that you have no volunteering with minor children, that you not coach any minor children."

Baier would not speak to us when we went to his home.  A parent spoke in court.  "I hope that for the rest of his life, he is reminded every day of what he did not only to my son, but to all of the other children in the classroom," said the parent of one of the victims.

Baier's attorney said the former teacher is now figuring out what to do next.

"Mr. Bair is happy that this case is over and that it's behind him," said his attorney Steven Swickle.  "He's satisfied with the way it was resolved and he can move on with his life."

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