Family Of Student Assaulted By School Security Guard Wants Video Footage Released
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A school employee at Miami Norland Senior High School has been arrested.
Police arrested Torien Austin, 26, on Wednesday on child abuse and battery charges.
Austin is accused of placing a student in a chokehold, slammed him up to four times, and punched him.
The 14-year-old boy told school leaders and police he was beaten up by a security guard. His family's attorney was told this the teen was approached by the guard over selling candy at school.
CBS4 was given pictures showing the teen being treated for his injuries. An arrest report states the teen was bruised and had a bleeding bottom lip.
Investigators have surveillance video from the high school. The report stated the student was seen being pulled down a hallway in a chokehold.
Police went on to write that Austin and the student then went into an administrative office, but there wasn't a camera showing what happened next.
The teen's parents and their attorney would like the video released. In a statement sent to us, the family and the attorney wrote:
"The family has retained civil rights attorney Jasmine Rand, to investigate the incident and demand the release of video showing the brutal beating of the fourteen-year-old student. Every child has the right to enjoy his or her education without being subjected to physical violence."
A spokesperson with Miami-Dade Public Schools sent a statement.
"Miami-Dade Schools Police is conducting a thorough investigation to determine the circumstances behind this arrest. However, actions such as the ones this employee is accused of will neither be tolerated, nor taken lightly. As such, the District has moved to immediately terminate his employment."
The attorney for the family went on to release more:
"The video should be released to his father, our law firm, and the community to ensure that no other child is endangered at school. As parents and community members we have to fight against the culture of violence in our school systems so that our children are able to exercise their constitutional right to an education without compromising their bodily integrity. And their right to having a childhood that is not tainted by unnecessary trauma from an adult who should have also been a caretaker. Abuse in every form, especially as it relates to our children is simply not to be tolerated."
Austin was given $5,000 bond.
It's still unclear how long he has worked for the district and whether he has been investigated before.
