Las Vegas Elementary Teacher Accused of Dragging Nonverbal Special Needs Student by Shirt Collar

LAS VEGAS, NV — A Clark County School District (CCSD) special education teacher has been placed on paid administrative leave and faces criminal charges after school surveillance cameras captured her dragging a student diagnosed with autism and Down syndrome by his shirt collar multiple times.

The incident occurred at Ruben P. Diaz Elementary School in East Las Vegas, leading to an investigation by Clark County School District Police.

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|          CCSD SPECIAL EDUCATION ABUSE DOSSIER          |
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|  - Campus: Ruben P. Diaz Elementary School (East Vegas)|
|  - Investigating Agency: CCSD Police Department        |
|  - Allegation: Forcible Dragging of Special Needs Pupil|
|  - Victim Diagnosis: Autism & Down Syndrome (Nonverbal)|
|  - Incidents Recorded: 3 Separate Collar-Dragging Acts |
|    Plus Collar-Grabbing of a Second Student            |
|  - Employment Status: Paid Administrative Leave        |
|  - Next Court Date: September 22, 2026                 |
|  - Court: Las Vegas Justice Court                      |
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Surveillance Video Captures Multiple Incidents

According to school district police arrest documents, the teacher was instructing a specialized classroom designated for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Campus security footage showed the instructor grabbing a young boy by the back collar of his shirt and dragging him across the floor. School records state the victim is diagnosed with autism and Down syndrome and is nonverbal with extremely limited capacity to communicate or care for himself.

The video further captured the teacher grabbing a second student by his collar before dragging the first student by his shirt two additional times after he entered neighboring classrooms.

Union Representation and Pending Justice Court Appearance

When approached by CCSD police investigators, the teacher declined to provide an interview, stating she would not answer questions without a union representative present.

Pursuant to the negotiated collective bargaining agreement between the district and the Clark County Education Association (CCEA), the teacher was assigned to paid administrative leave while criminal and internal proceedings advance.

The defendant is scheduled for an initial appearance in Las Vegas Justice Court on September 22, 2026.

Source: Clark County School District Police Department Arrest Records, Las Vegas Justice Court Filings, Las Vegas Review-Journal Education Bureau.