In Pasadena, California, a substitute security officer has been accused of using duct tape to close the mouth of an 11-year-old girl at school because she was talking too much.
The family of Noemi Hurtado, a sixth grader at Blair Middle School, spoke out about the claims during a press conference Friday.
They said last Wednesday, the security guard forced Noemi to duct-tape her own mouth because the girl was “talking too much on the playground.”
“Kids just naturally talk a lot,” remarked Najee Ali from Project Islamic Hope, who is assisting the girl’s family. “She was just being a typical child, playing and chatting, but instead she was silenced by a security guard who took it too far by taping her mouth shut and then taking her to the office.”
The family said the girl was then paraded from the school office across campus to her next class with the tape still covering her mouth.
“She told me she can still feel the stickiness of the duct tape, which is painful to remove,” shared Ricardo Hurtado, the father of Noemi. “It’s distressing that my 11-year-old daughter had to go through this awful experience.”
The city of Pasadena confirmed its police department took a report that day and said detectives are investigating the allegations.
“We do take these matters very seriously and will follow-up with all parties involved,” said city spokesperson Lisa Derderian.
The Pasadena Unified School District released a statement, saying the substitute security officer 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,” read the statement. “We are committed to maintaining a safe and supportive environment for our students.”
The incident remains under investigation.
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