FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The mother of a 12-year-old autistic boy who was reportedly abused by a teacher at the Alternative Education Foundation school in Davie held a news conference about the case on Thursday.
David Baier is accused of grabbing the student by his hair, throwing him to the ground, and pinning him down.
"He says, 'Mommy, he pulled my hair and he threw me and it hurt,'" said the boy's mother. "My heart broke. That's my little boy. You never, ever. I trusted these people. I wanted what was best for my son and I trusted these people."
Earlier in the day, a Broward County judge gave Baier, who faces two counts of child abuse, a $2,000 bond. The judge said Baier couldn't return to AEF schools or contact the alleged 12-year-old victim. He posted bond on Thursday evening.
Elias Hilal, the victim's attorney, said his client hasn't had issues at the school in the past, having been there for only one week.
"He was recommended to this school," said Hilal. "This school holds itself to be an elite private school that handles behavioral students, and given this kid has autism he was going there, he was putting his trust in this school because this school holds themselves out to be elite."
Hilal said the family wants to the school to take responsibility for the abuse of their son, adding that he has other clients who have made similar allegations against AEF schools only to be ignored.
"They reported this to the school. We have other clients that also reported the same kind of allegations in the past to the school and the school's completely ignored them," said Hilal.
Baier has been a teacher at the AEF schools for more than 25 years, his attorney told Local 10. He offered no other comment on the case.
The school itself, AEF Elementary, has not commented.