BAKER COUNTY, Fla. – A teacher at Westside Elementary School was arrested Thursday after being accused of taping a student to a chair while inside a classroom, according to the Baker County Sheriff’s Office.
Physical Education Teacher Kristopher Waite, 50, was charged with one count of cruelty toward a child, abuse child without great bodily harm after being accused of taping a student to a chair, “restricting her movement and causing her to fear that he would not set her free” during gym period, according to the arrest report.
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BCSO said that around 4:45 p.m., the student’s mother received a call from Westside Elementary School Principal Green regarding an incident involving her child.
According to the arrest report, the mother said that the principal informed her that during her child’s gym period, Waite had taped her to a chair inside the classroom. She was also told that an investigation would be conducted.
The arrest report states the student entered the classroom for Waite’s class and began playing with a roll of duct tape that was on his desk. According to the report, the child said Waite told her to stop playing with the tape. He then “took the tape from her and wrapped it around her waist and the chair.”
The student said that her limbs did not get taped down but that she could not break the tape and free herself from the chair. She also said she “struggled with the tape for approximately 30 seconds before another classmate had to cut the tape with the sharp part of a tape dispenser to free her from the chair,” the arrest report says.
According to the arrest report, the student said that “Coach Waite is normally a playful teacher with her and other students” but had never had an incident like this happen before.
She also said she could still breathe while taped to the chair, but that she was scared when Waite did not seem like he intended to free her from the chair.
“Victim also stated that when Coach Waite noticed she had gotten out of the chair, he angrily questioned the other students who let her loose and why they would do that. This further caused Victim to fear that he meant to keep her trapped in the chair longer than she was,” the arrest report says.
The arrest report then says the student began to tear up as she was recounting the incident to law enforcement.
According to officials, when law enforcement made contact with Waite, he was asked if he knew why they were there and he replied, “I’m guessing it’s about the tape.”
“Kristopher advised that he jokingly wrapped the tape around Victim’s torso and the chair one time, making an effort to avoid her hair or skin. Kristopher stated that Victim and other classmates were laughing during the incident,” the arrest report says.
When asked what kind of type was used, Waite said he was not sure if it was clear office tape or a wider clear packing tape. However, he said duct tape was not used as it should not be present in the classroom.
According to the report, Waite also said another teacher was in the classroom at the time of the incident but was unsure if she saw what had happened.
Waite was arrested and transported to the Baker County jail after he admitted his actions, according to officials.
News4JAX reached out to Baker County School District and responded with a statement that said in part:
“The school administration was notified and took immediate action. We are cooperating fully with the Baker County Sheriff’s Office, conducting our own internal investigation, and following all school district policies and procedures related to this matter,” a district spokesperson wrote.
The district also said staff and families were notified of the incident “in a timely matter.”