Mom Speaks Out After School Employee Charged for Allegedly Hitting Her 6-Year-Old Son with Autism

The mother of a 6-year-old boy with autism is speaking out after her son was allegedly assaulted by an elementary school employee.

Tabatha Woodward told local news station WXYZ-TV Detroit that she received a call from the principal of Forest Park Elementary School in Michigan in regards to an incident involving her son Ryder Sobieski and a worker at the school.

“The principal called saying that one of the paraprofessionals took a shoe to my son’s head, a staff member has seen it, and they are going to investigate it,” Woodward told the outlet. 

“It hurts me a lot that somebody actually could do that to somebody that’s autistic” she added, further explaining that her son is non-verbal.

The paraprofessional at the school — who has since been identified as Kimberley Horen by the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office — now faces assault and battery charges related to the incident, according to WXYZ-TV, WDIV-TV and CBS News.

If found guilty, Horen, 53, could face up to 93 days in jail, per the outlets.

According to the prosecutor’s office, Horen allegedly took the boy’s shoe off and then intentionally struck him on the head with it, per WXYZ-TV and CBS News. The incident reportedly took place in October 2024, the outlets said.

After the incident, Horen was placed on leave, and an internal investigation was conducted, according to WXYZ-TV. Horen’s employment was terminated following the investigation.

The Eastpointe Community School District, which oversees the educational institution, told WXYZ-TV in a statement: “We have high expectations of our employees, and we absolutely do not accept or tolerate that kind of behavior in Eastpointe Community Schools.”

The Eastpointe Community School District and the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Saturday, May 10.

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Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido also issued a statement to WXYZ-TV, stating, “The defendant had a responsibility to provide a safe and focused learning environment for students. Instead, she violated that trust.”

“This behavior is unacceptable, and we are committed to pursuing justice to ensure that such misconduct has no place in our schools,” he added.

Woodward told WXYZ-TV that she had hoped that Horen would face harsher punishment, including a felony charge of child abuse. She said that her son has not been the same since the incident.

“He’s been throwing himself on the floor, and he’s been having a hard time spending time with his other nieces and nephews,” Woodward explained.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.