The arrest affidavit is as follows:
Brevard Principal John Long arrested for child abuse of special needs child
Defendant who is the principal at a Special Needs School was teaching class. The victim, is a special needs child with diagnosed PTSD and ADHD.
The victim was being disruptive in class and calling another student using profanity. The defendant escorted the victim from the classroom by placing his arm around the shoulder.
He placed him in another class however the child left the building and sat alone outside for approximately 15 minutes. At 1145 hours, the class went to lunch.
The victim joined the end of the line to go to lunch. The defendant told him he would eat inside and was not allowed in line. The defendant grabbed both arms of the child and from behind pushed him to a flight of steps leading to the building. He then placed the child in a hold by standing behind and holding the child’s arms at his side.
The defendant fell backwards pulling the child onto the steps. A witness to the incident reported the defendant forcefully rolled the child into a hand rail three times. Each time the victim struck the railing.
After approximately 10 minutes he let the child go and then pinned him to the ground by placing one knee in the back and holding his arms. He had one hand on the childs head applying pressure.
The witness told him to let the child go. The child stated multiple times he could not breathe. The defendant did not let the child get up or get off of him for several minutes. The child sustained an injury to the back, lacerations to the right eye, scratches on the forearms and knee.
