News 12 at 6 o'clock, May 16, 2008

AUGUSTA, Ga -- Richmond County Board of Education officers are busy investigating one of their own after an altercation Thursday morning at Bungalow Road Alternative School.

A 14-year-old girl tells News 12 a BOE officer attacked her and she's telling her story only to News 12.

Chryshayla Bell stayed home from school today, but the officer is still on the job. "It hurt bad," she says pointing to the bruise and a cut she says the officer is responsible for. "My momma never put a bruise on me or none of her children so why should he? I never even touch him."

Chryshayla says it all started after a BOE officer told her to take her jacket off because jackets are not allowed at the alternative school. She says the situation escalated when she tried to call her mother from the school phone. "They wouldn't never let me use the phone and that's when he grabbed me because I was cussing him out and he grabbed me and twist my arm up like that trying to put the handcuffs on me."

Jacqueline Hammonds did get her daughter and brought her here to the BOE Thursday to file a report sparking this investigation. "This man weighs probably 300 pounds, my child probably ain't even 80 something pounds and he do her like this? No, it's uncalled for."

News 12 went to the principal for the school's side of the story ."It's all under investigation and in the investigation everything will probably come out, but we as a family of Bungalow Road and Richmond County, we are standing with our officer-yes."

Principal Thomas Norris couldn't comment any further, but he did say the officer has been at the school a few months and there were no reported problems with him at this school.

In all, he's been with the BOE for about two years.

But, Jaqueline says she wants the officer removed or fired and her daughter won't be back until that happens.

News 12 spoke with this officer personally at the school and he says he can't comment.

News 12 has decided to withhold the name of the officer because he has not been charged.

Chief Stein says he also had cuts and scrapes on him when he filed his report at the district's central office yesterday. She also says there is no set timeline for this investigation and they are working to get several witness statements to get it all figured out.