Teachers in Rome Under Investigation for Alleged Abuse of Autistic Child
Rome, May 24 – Two teachers from a public kindergarten in the Centocelle district of Rome are facing potential prosecution for alleged abuse of correctional and disciplinary measures. The accusations stem from a period between September 2024 and February 2025, involving a five-year-old autistic boy under their care. The mother of the child, acting on suspicions, recorded the teachers’ behavior using her son’s communication tablet, providing crucial evidence for the investigation.
Mother’s Suspicions Lead to Discovery of Mistreatment
The mother’s concerns were initially raised by suspicious bruises on her son’s body. The child, who uses a tablet as his primary means of communication, became an unwitting participant in uncovering the alleged abuse. His mother, suspecting that something was amiss at the school where her son was supposed to receive dedicated support, used the device to record interactions between the teachers and her child.
The recordings allegedly captured phrases such as “Eat your bread and shut up,” directed at the autistic child. One of the accused, aged 56, was theoretically qualified as a support teacher, while her 66-year-old colleague was a kindergarten teacher. Both are now at risk of trial following the prosecutor’s notice of conclusion of investigations, which precedes a request for indictment by prosecutor Barbara Trotta.
Undercover Investigation Confirms Allegations
Based on the mother’s initial evidence, the Carabinieri of the Casilina company installed ambient microphones and hidden cameras to further investigate the teachers’ activities. These surveillance measures reportedly confirmed the irregular conduct of the two educators.
According to the prosecution, the autistic child was the sole target of the teachers’ harsh treatment. He was allegedly insulted, pushed, and punished. Instances include being deprived of food, despite his mother being told he had eaten, and being left in a corner instead of being encouraged to participate in activities with other children, contrary to educational protocols.
The accusations state that such treatment risked “regression and loss of acquired skills” for the child. Numerous incidents are cited, where the teachers allegedly resorted to using a mobile phone or even a piece of bread to keep the child quiet, employing “verbal and physical aggression to contain him.”
Physical and Verbal Aggression Documented
The Carabinieri’s recordings reportedly captured one teacher slapping the child on the shoulder and shouting, “Go back to your place!” when he crawled towards a mat. Another incident involved a teacher threatening, “I’ll make you run now,” in a loud voice because the child was making noise with a chair. Further alleged mistreatment occurred when the child touched a poster or failed to put a chair back, from which he once fell after being slapped. These images have been entered into evidence and could lead to the teachers being brought to trial.
Broader Context of Child Abuse Concerns
This case emerges amidst a broader context of concerns regarding child abuse. Recent reports from Telefono Azzurro indicate that in 2025, 76% of reported incidents concerned sexual abuse of minors. Other recent cases in Italy include a mother and a man sentenced to 10 years for drugging and sexually assaulting a child in Latina, and an 11-year sentence confirmed for Mirko Campoli, a former leader of Catholic Action, for pedophilia. In another case in Latina, a 29-year-old was arrested for impersonating a doctor on Telegram to solicit intimate photos from minors.
The investigation continues, and the legal proceedings against the two teachers are expected to move forward, highlighting the critical importance of vigilance and protection for vulnerable children in educational settings.
