*In New York a 34-year-old woman and her teenage niece have been accused of beating a middle school teacher to the point of unconsciousness on Wednesday.
Annika McKenzie finds herself charged with second-degree assault and strangulation. Meantime Her 14-year-old niece is facing second-degree assault charges as a juvenile, according to ABC 7.
McKenzie allegedly became irate because she believed that a math teacher at Alverta B. Gray Schultz Middle School in Hempstead, Long Island, NY “put her hands on” her 12-year-old daughter, reports the New York Daily News.
According to police, the teacher, Catherine Engelhardt, was outside her classroom at around 2 p.m. when McKenzie attacked her. McKenzie allegedly knocked Engelhardt to the ground, then put her in a chokehold until she lost consciousness. The niece allegedly joined in the attack by punching the teacher in the head, Hempstead Police Chief Michael McGowan told Newsday. O(n top of that, other students joined in the fray to pummel Engelhardt. So far there are no reports of those student being reprimanded.
A teacher for 22 years, Engelhardt, informed ABC 7 that she’s been feeling unsafe at the school for a while.
“I knew something violent was going to happen. I’ve warned them time and again that the children have no respect for adults.”
Officials say Engelhardt had scolded McKenzie’s daughter for bad behavior earlier in the day, and the girl later accused Engelhardt of touching her.
Here’s the response from McKenzie’s attorney, Donald Rollock:
“As any loving parent, if someone puts their hand on your child, you’re going to react.”
Watch this video report from ABC 7:
