Story highlights Rosa Smith, 27, has cerebral palsy

The school district says it took action once it learned of the incident

(CNN) A federal lawsuit filed on behalf of a 27-year-old woman with cerebral palsy alleges that a teacher used duct tape to close her mouth because she was making too much noise in her special education classroom.

The incident took place in March 2016 at High Point School in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

The suit, filed this week, said staffers overmedicated Rosa Smith, left her in a bathroom and slapped her. It alleges that the teacher, Nesa Johnson, duct-taped Smith's mouth shut and texted her mother a photo of it with the caption "Help. She won't be quiet!!!!"

There were two aides in the classroom at the time in addition to the teacher, the suit says.

The Washtenaw School District said in a statement that no one reported the incident when it happened.

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