the emma richardson story:

A Florida fourth-grade student got in trouble at school and is now dealing with legal problems because his school health counselor says he touched her in a way that was not okay. The adult says the 10-year-old pretended to hug her but actually grabbed her breast. However, the student’s family insists that this accusation is not accurate.

A person who works at Holly Hill School in Volusia County reported that a student touched her inappropriately on Monday, Oct. 24. The staff member said it happened when she went to the student’s classroom to talk to his teacher.

According to a police report and a letter of suspension, the incident was described in detail. It mentioned that as the counselor turned to give a side hug, the student put his arm around her shoulder and grabbed her left breast with his other hand. The counselor says she moved his hand away, and the student walked away. The police were called immediately, and the counselor claimed the student touched her in a disrespectful way. As a result, the student is now facing a misdemeanor battery charge.

Lawyers hired to represent the child and his family insist that he is falsely accused. They argue that the school did not properly investigate the allegations and suspended the boy without considering his side of the story. The family claims that the school’s response is one-sided. Volusia County Schools declined to comment on the incident.

The child’s grandfather expressed concern that his grandson was accused and punished before all the facts were known, saying they won’t stand for it. The boy’s grandmother and legal guardian believe the boy did nothing wrong and suggest that the incident may have been an accident. The boy’s version of the story is that the counselor grabbed his hand during the hug, and he didn’t understand why. After she let go, he returned to his seat and started talking to other students about football.

Both the accuser and the accused are not named in the press. The boy’s identity is protected as he is a minor, while the counselor’s name is kept confidential under Marsy’s Law, which allows alleged crime victims in Florida to remain anonymous. The grandmother points out that there are no witnesses, and it’s the counselor’s word against the 10-year-old’s. The teacher in the classroom during the alleged incident states in a police report that she didn’t see what the counselor claims.