Police: Elementary school worker charged with putting students into ‘martial arts choke hold’
A math coach at a Norwalk elementary school is charged with allegedly demonstrating a ‘martial arts choke hold’ on three students, rendering one unconscious, police said.
Stefanie Sanabria, 50, of 1 Kennedy Ave., Danbury, is charged with second degree strangulation, risk of injury to a minor and first-degree reckless endangerment, according to the Norwalk Police Department.
On Feb. 24, police responded to reports of a staff member rendering a student unconscious at Brookside Elementary School at 382 Highland Ave., police said.
The Special Victims Unit responded and found that Sanabria, who was working as a math coach, demonstrated the choke hold on three students in a fifth grade class.
“One of the students lost consciousness as a result of Sanabria’s actions,” police said in a statement.
The student was immediately treated by the school nurse, police said.
A warrant for Sanabria’s arrest was issued and she was taken into custody at her home on Friday.
Sanabria’s bond was set at $20,000 and she is scheduled to appear in court next on March 10, police said.
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