School worker, 80, charged with abuse after allegedly hitting student

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DELTONA, Fla. — An 80-year-old former school worker is facing a child abuse charge after surveillance video allegedly showed her hitting a student in the head inside a cafeteria, according to the arrest report.

Maria Graham resigned from her Volusia County Schools position before her arrest, district officials confirmed.
According to the arrest report, surveillance video showed Graham hitting a child in the head with enough force to jolt the student forward.

A judge released Graham on her own recognizance.

“Based off of the agreement between the parties, I will release you on your own recognizance. I am going to order that you have no contact with the listed victim,” the judge said.

The incident happened last Thursday at Deltona Lakes Elementary.

According to the arrest report, Graham told deputies the child tried to skip the dinner line and was pushing other students. Graham said she intervened and told the child to go to the back of the line.

She claimed the child continued being disrespectful, so she planned to take the child to the front of the cafeteria. Graham said she may have raised her hand during the interaction, but did not recall hitting the child.

According to the arrest report, the child told deputies she doesn’t want to come back to school.