Carina Chindamo: Florida school teacher faces charges for tying an autistic child to a chair for an hour

BRADENTON, FLORIDA: Two Florida school employees are facing charges after allegedly restraining a 7-year-old autistic child in a chair for an hour, according to police.

In a press release issued on Tuesday, February 6, the Bradenton Police In a press release issued on Tuesday, February 6, the Bradenton Police Department revealed that teacher Carina Chindamo, 31, and aide Taylor Internicola, 39, are each facing one count of false imprisonment.

According to records from the Manatee County jail, Chindamo has been charged with one count of battery, specifically "touch or strike." County court records label the charge as "simple battery." Chindamo was arrested on February 5 and released on bond on February 6. Meanwhile, police state that there is currently a warrant out for Internicola's arrest.

When did the incident occur?

Chindamo serves as an Exceptional Student Education teacher at GD Rogers Garden-Bullock Elementary School, while Internicola works as her aide.

According to police, the incident took place on Friday, February 2. Allegedly, the two adults utilized a walking rope to restrain the wrists of the nonverbal boy involved.

“The child sat on the ground behind the chair, restrained, for approximately one hour,” the press release reads. “At various times in the video, Chindamo and Internicola were observed sitting on the chair, appearing to use their weight to keep the child from getting free.”

A probable cause affidavit in Chindamo’s case describes the implement used to restrain the 7-year-old as a “webbed nylon rope which has loops throughout.”

What did the affidavit state?

“During this time, the Defendant appeared to secure the Victim’s hand by using three different knots,” the affidavit reads. “Additionally, Defendant secures the unused loops to both of the chair's back legs.”

The incident involving the two adults and the helpless child was caught on security camera footage, according to police.

“Not just one of them, but actually two of them, were tying him up with the little rope that they use to walk the kids around the school with,” the boy’s mother, Takeila Jones, told Tampa-based NBC affiliate WFLA.

Jones said she first learned about the confinement from the school’s principal.

“My daughter saw it when they were at recess,” the distraught mother told the TV station. “She didn’t want to say anything to me because she thought ‘It’s his teacher, it’s Miss so-and-so, it’s fine, I didn’t think anything of it. He was over there crying and stuff like that and I didn’t want to get in trouble.'”

Chindamo allegedly told police she had been teaching for seven years

During a Mirandized interview, Chindamo allegedly told police she had been teaching for seven years, two years at her current school.

“The Defendant was aware of the Victim being tied up behind her chair,” the affidavit reads. “The Defendant explained that she has been using his method since the beginning of the school year to move from locations within the school. The Defendant further advised the Victim has previously attempted to flee the school grounds.”

Under police questioning, Chindamo reportedly mentioned that the boy had attempted to leave the school premises previously but had only managed to reach the parking lot.

When questioned further about her training in restraining children, she allegedly responded affirmatively, as per the affidavit.

The defendant went on to tell police that “this was done if the child is in danger of being a harm to themselves or others,” the affidavit says.

“Y’all were supposed to protect him, y’all were supposed to watch out for him and teach him, not put him in harm’s way with these people that hurt him,” Jones told WFLA. “He can’t tell mommy what’s happening, what’s not happening. All he can do, you know, is just be himself.”