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Florida Teacher Accused Of Hitting Student With Broomstick Arrested

FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) - A now-former St. Lucie County teacher was arrested after a cellphone video showed her hitting a 6th-grade student with what appeared to be part of a broomstick.

It happened at Forest Grove Middle School last week.

The student's mother, Joselyn Destine, said her 12-year-old son had some sort of disagreement with the teacher, 49-year-old Cyntyche Darling-Lundy, and she struck him.

Destine said she called the sheriff's office after she heard what happened and then saw the video.

Darling-Lundy has been charged with child abuse.

The St. Lucie County Public School District said Darling-Lundy was hired in 2010 as a food service assistant and she had just started her position as an "exceptional student education" or ESE teacher in August.

"The alleged behavior is intolerable and reprehensible. As a result of the initial investigation, the teacher was terminated on April 21st," according to a statement from the district.

Destine said she plans to take legal action.

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