Boy's father talks to WPXI; says teacher's aide struck his son

PITTSBURGH,None — The father of a 7-year-old student at a Hill District elementary school spoke with Channel 11 News after he said a teacher's aide hit his child so hard that it caused his nose to bleed.

Police said the incident happened Thursday while the teacher's aide was caring for the boy at his parents home. The woman is a teacher at Weil Elementary, but investigators said the incident did not happen on school property.

The boy's parents said they questioned the aide, whom they allow to bring the child to their home following an after-school program. However, his parents said the woman was on her cellphone and ignored their questions.

"When I spoke to my son, he also said, ‘She smacked me in the mouth… And the nose,” said the boy’s father, Brian Van Dusen. “He said it three times."

Van Dusen said the woman later admitted that she hit the boy three times in his face because he was "mouthing off. He said the woman's behavior is inexcusable and it's something he never expected from a teacher.

"I definitely didn't give anyone authorization to chastise my kids or whoop them," Van Dusen said.

Police said the boy gave them the same story, but his parents had cleaned up the blood before they arrived at their home to take the report.

Investigators said they saw no visible signs of injury so the aide was not immediately charged. Officers said they are taking the claim seriously and continue to investigate.

WPXI