NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — The Newport News Police Department is investigating an incident involving a substitute teacher allegedly grabbing a student by the throat at Richneck Elementary back in December.

According to court documents, a substitute teacher had a verbal altercation with a student on Dec. 17. It escalated once the substitute teacher allegedly grabbed the student by the throat and pulled them into the hallway, where there were no security cameras.

The incident was immediately reported to Child Protective Services. The student’s mother reported the event to police on March 24.

According to paperwork, footage obtained by detectives show the substitute teacher grabbing the student’s neck. The student then attempts to push the teacher away before being pulled out of view of the camera.

“That’s alarming because I haven’t gotten any email about it or haven’t even heard about that because even if it’s not my son’s grade or in my son’s you know, class or whatever, we should still know as parents if that did happen or didn’t,” a concerned parent said.

This alleged incident happened less than two years after Richneck Elementary School made national headlines. On Jan. 6, 2023, a 6-year-old student brought a gun to school and shot their first-grade teacher Abby Zwerner in the classroom. That case raised serious questions about school safety and accountability within the district.

Newport News Public Schools is fully cooperating with law enforcement and child protection agencies.

No formal charges have been filed at this time, but the substitute teacher is no longer substituting at Newport News Public Schools.