Former New River Intermediate teacher’s aide charged in abuse incident

OAK HILL, W.Va. (WVVA) - A former employee at New River Intermediate School has been arrested and charged with three counts of battery and assault of a disabled child.

A warrant was issued for Amanda Gail Hollandsworth, 39, of Oak Hill on Oct. 13 in Fayette County Magistrate Court after probable cause was found.

Hollandsworth was arrested today and, according to Fayette County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Sarah Smith, has been released on bond.

According to the criminal complaint, the incident started on Sept. 27 when West Virginia State Police Sgt. J.L. Milam received a call from the school’s principal, Amy McDonald, regarding an incident alleging a special education teacher’s aide grabbed a student “forcefully” and wiped up spit with her hand off the floor and rubbed it on the student’s face.

Milam said in the complaint he reviewed surveillance footage from the incident, which shows Hollandsworth allegedly grabbing the student, an autistic student, and taking the child to an adjoining classroom that included bean bags.

According to the complaint, Hollandsworth started removing the bean bags from the room, jerking the one the student was on from under the student. At that point, the student fell to the floor and appears to spit on Hollandsworth’s ankle.

Milam said In the report Hollandsworth took the hand of the child, used it to wipe up the spit and rubs the hand across the student’s face.

At one time during the video, Hollandsworth also appears to spit onto the floor a couple of times prior to grabbing the student and wiping her hand across the floor and then across the student’s face.

If convicted, the penalty for the felony charges could be up to a $1,000 fine and not less than one nor more than five years in prison, or both, for each count.