A local first grade teacher has been arrested after she reportedly pushed a 7-year-old’s head into a wall causing one of his teeth to fall out and leaving him with a busted lip.

The incident was reported at Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary School on January 28th.

Police say surveillance video showed the teacher 64-year-old Cynthia Smith, walking in the hallway with students surrounding her on both sides. The victim is also seen playing with a bulletin board in the hallway. Smith then walking over to the student, puts her hands on the student’s head and neck, and then shoves the student’s head into the wall. Smith then walks away as the student is seen holding his mouth.

When authorities interviewed the 7-year-old about the incident, he confirmed what was seen on the video and told authorities that Ms. Smith told him not to touch things on the wall before she shoved his face into it. The victim then says his tooth came out and there was blood in his mouth so Ms. Smith later told him to go wash his mouth out.

Smith told authorities that students were trying to remove things from the wall but at no time did she touch any of them.

The principal at the elementary school told authorities that the teacher has been at the school for  12 years and has at least four complaints against her pertaining to her aggressive behavior towards students.

Smith was arrested on January 31st on a charge of child abuse but she has since been bonded out of jail.