Broward County teacher accused of handcuffing 11-year-old son

Deputies say boy was found handcuffed in Tamarac parking lot

TAMARAC, Fla. – A Broward County teacher was arrested Thursday, months after she handcuffed her 11-year-old son, authorities said.

Laldaya Johnson, 42, appeared in court Friday, where she was ordered to be held without bond on a child abuse charge.

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Johnson is a teacher at Sandpiper Elementary in Sunrise.

According to an arrest report, Broward sheriff's deputies found Johnson's son handcuffed last March 1 in a parking lot at 8651 W. McNab Road.

A witness told deputies that she saw the victim with his hands handcuffed behind his back outside a red vehicle. The witness said she approached the child, and the boy gave her his father's phone number and asked her to call him.

Deputies approached Johnson, who they said told them that she had handcuffed her son to prevent him from throwing things at her and that she did not want him back in her car.

The boy told detectives that he didn't throw anything at his mother while in the car and that he was fearful of her.

Deputies said the boy claimed that Johnson forces him to take Risperdal, which treats schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and irritability caused by autism, and said that she threatens to send him to a mental hospital.

He said that his mother has hospitalized him once, and lied to the staff about how he was violent and was throwing things around. He said his mother also "whips him for anything he does," and said that she would tie his wrists and ankles with rope any time he misbehaved.

The boy said he does not take any medication when he is with his biological father.

The father also confirmed to detectives that his son has never taken Risperdal with him and that he is functioning as other children his age.

Johnson's husband spoke on her behalf in court and said that she has been a teacher in the Broward County school system for 16 years. He blamed her ex-husband for the allegations.

Johnson's husband claims her son has a medical condition and is violent toward his wife.

According to an arrest report, Johnson works at Sandpiper Elementary School in Sunrise.

Broward County Public Schools representative Lori Krans said Johnson has been reassigned pending the outcome of the investigation.

 


About the Authors:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.