Alma Valadez is angry and feels helpless after her daughter, Mariana, was injured during a fight at school.
A fight in which a Dallas ISD police officer is captured on camera body slamming the sixth grader.
“I was crying because I didn’t know what, how can it happen,” questioned Valadez.
The fight between Mariana, 12, and another girl was captured on grainy cell phone video.
The video begins with the physical altercation already underway at Piedmont G.L.O.B.A.L. Academy.
Mariana is seen fighting with another girl she claims was making fun of her.
An unnamed Dallas ISD police officer then steps in and separates the girls.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
The camera barely pans over in time to see the officer picking up the 100 pound girl and slamming her to the ground.
“The officer came and grabbed me and body slammed me then put the pepper spray,” said the 12-year-old girl. “He pepper sprayed me in the eyes and I couldn’t open my eyes because it was burning me, the eyes so then they took us to the nurse to put water.”
Mariana ended up in the hospital with a clavicle fracture, which her mother insists was caused by the officer and not the initial fight.
“Everybody say: oh yeah, she deserve to be..no, no,” said Valadez. “She don’t deserve it. She’s a 12-year-old girl.”
Dallas ISD declined an interview at the advice of the district’s legal team, but the district’s spokeswoman released a statement saying:
“Thursday, May 11 we received information about a social media post circulating of students at Piedmont G.L.O.B.A.L. Academy involved in a physical altercation following dismissal on Wednesday, May 10. The video also captures a Dallas ISD police officer who attempts to end the disruption, however, his actions do not appear to represent the type of response we want our officers to display.The officer has been placed on administrative leave while we conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.”
“I don’t want him being suspended, I want him get fired,” said Valadez. “Why is he still working with kids? He’s not capable of working like that.”
Valadez is considering whether to hire an attorney. She says other students captured the incident on camera but were told to delete the videos by a school official.
Mariana will return to school on Tuesday after serving a three day suspension.
Dallas ISD said the district did not know when the officer would potentially return to his job, if at all.
