Police: Autistic support teacher at Milton hit child with autism with yoga ball

MILTON — An autistic support teacher at Milton Area School District is facing criminal charges after allegedly striking an eight-year-old student with autism in the head with a large yoga ball, according to Milton Police Department.

Steven David Smith, 33, of Turbotville Road, Watsontown, was charged with two misdemeanor counts of endangering the welfare of children and recklessly endangering another person and a summary count of harassment. The charges were filed by Milton Police Chief Curt Zettlemoyer in the Milton office of District Judge Michael Diehl.

Smith, one of two autistic support teachers at James F. Baugher Elementary School at 60 Brenda Rovenold Drive, was placed on administrative leave pending the results of the investigation. Numerous students in the classroom are non-verbal or have limited verbal communication skills, requiring support, according to court documents.

Milton received a ChildLine referral on Sept. 21. The incident was reported by a mandated reporter employed by the school district who observed the allegations.

Police met with Baugher Principal David Slater and Misty Harris, director of special education, at the school. They said they were made aware of several incidents over several weeks in the autistic support classroom where Smith is the teacher, police said.

A para-professional staff member said Smith placed a blanket over a student's head in a manner that she didn't feel was appropriate. The staff member said she was concerned about Smith "losing his cool" with students and acting in an aggressive manner, police said.

Bradee Ruhl, a former third-party behavioral health technician assigned to Baugher, has worked with the child in question over the last four years. He described Smith as "caring and a very nice guy but overwhelmed with the classroom," police said.

When asked why police were investigating, Ruhl said, "Unsafe things," according to court documents.

Ruhl explained part of his employment is to provide intervention techniques to his student when needed. While performing an intervention, Ruhl was on his knees in front of the child facing away from the rest of the students. Smith allegedly launched a large yoga ball at the child, striking her in the head and causing her to fall, police said.

Ruhl said this was "extremely unsafe" given the fact that the student was not able to catch the ball. Ruhl said he was "extremely frustrated" with Smith's actions since the throwing of the yoga ball put the child at risk of injury if she had not fallen onto a pillow. Ruhl said he laid the ball off to the side while continuing to provide aid to the child, police said.

Ruhl said it was not uncommon for things to fly in Smith's classrooms, but not typically yoga balls. He said Smith could have only meant for the ball to travel to the child because Ruhl and the child were the only two in the area, police said.

Ruhl said, there were "no accommodations that would make it appropriate to hit her in the head with a yoga ball and knock her to the ground." The child "could not catch the ball even if she was attempting to do so in the manner it was launched at her," Ruhl told police.

Smith had allegedly kicked a yoga ball in the classroom before, Ruhl told police.

Jes Joseph, another autistic support teacher, said Ruhl sought advice from her about Smith allegedly throwing the ball "as hard as he could" and laughing about it. Joseph said she was "very upset" about the incident, police said.

Joseph said covering a student's mouth or head with a blanket is not appropriate and she has serious concerns if that occurred, police said.

The child's mother told police that the girl would not have the ability to catch a ball that was launched across a room.

Smith is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in front of Diehl at 11 a.m. May 17.

Northumberland County Reporter