Nathaniel Cary

ncary@greenvillenews.com

A 5-year-old student at Augusta Circle Elementary School in Greenville punched his teacher multiple times and injured her gums and jaw during an incident that's under police investigation, according to an incident report and Greenville Police.

The incident happened Wednesday afternoon as the 23-year-old teacher tried to stop the student from stomping Play-Doh into the ground, according to the report.

​"Because of the severity of the injuries and as required by statute, law enforcement was notified and is investigating," Beth Brotherton, Greenville County Schools spokeswoman, said. "The student has been suspended."

The child lunged at her and punched her in the jaw, punched her multiple times in the left arm and stomped on her left foot and kicked her in the shin, and picked up scissors, markers and pencils and threw them at other students, according to the report.

The teacher had visible bleeding on her gums, bruising and redness on her jaw, redness on her shin and arm and reported non-visible injuries, according to the report.

The teacher reported the student had punched her in the stomach earlier in the week and threw blocks at her earlier in the school year.

The Greenville Police department responded to the school but the boy had left on a bus to go home by the time officers arrived, the report said.

The police department's juvenile detectives are investigating the incident, Gilberto Franco, Greenville Police spokesman, said.

The teacher attended school Thursday to reassure students that she was OK, Brotherton said.

The school district is also providing additional counselors to help the other children in the classroom who witnessed the incident. The school's principal also called parents Thursday morning to keep them informed about the situation, Brotherton said.