BECKLEY – A Raleigh County father says a Woodrow Wilson High School aide physically abused his disabled son.
Wilbert Pugh, as father and next friend of E.M., filed his complaint March 21 in Raleigh Circuit Court against Samuel White and the Raleigh County Board of Education.
According to the complaint, E.M. is a special needs student at Woodrow Wilson. He is disabled and suffers from autism, is deaf and partly blind. He requires assistance with education and daily living activities. He was enrolled in the special education class in which White was an aide.
Salango
“This violent attack on a special needs child was captured on surveillance cameras,” attorney Ben Salango told The West Virginia Record. “Physical and verbal abuse of special needs children is a serious problem.
“For years, it was swept under the rug. Thankfully, our Legislature has taken this matter seriously and we are making progress to hold child abusers accountable.”
On the morning of December 16, 2022, Pugh says E.M. was subjected to extreme physical abuse at the hands of White.
“White repeatedly punched E.M. in the head and body, choked him and forcefully threw him to the ground,” the complaint states. “E.M. was left on the floor with his pants completely down and struggling to breathe.
“When E.M. stood up, defendant White immediately got into a fighting stance and again struck E.M. in the head and threw him into the corner of the room. Defendant White then grabbed E.M. by the throat with both hands, pushed him against a wall, and out of view of the camera, defendant White was recorded forcefully throwing E.M. to the ground, E.M. was again left on the ground trying to catch his breath.”
The complaint says the video surveillance shows teacher Vickie Moss was in the classroom as the abuse occurred but did nothing to stop it or to help the boy. Pugh says no one from the school contacted him to inform him what had happened.
When E.M. arrived home, Pugh says he noticed scratches on his son’s neck and contacted Principal Ryan Stafford, who said he would “look into it” and get back with Pugh about it. Stafford never contacted Pugh.
On December 19, the next school day, video footage shows White physically abusing E.M. again, this time violently and aggressively elbowing him in the face while they walked down the hallway.
Pugh says E.M. has suffered severe and extreme physical and emotional injuries as a result of White’s actions.
He accuses the defendants of unlawful disability harassment and discrimination in violation of the West Virginia Human Rights Act, negligence, assault and battery as well as negligent hiring, supervision and retention.
Pugh seeks compensatory and punitive damages for economic and non-economic damages, pre- and post-judgment interests, attorney fees, court costs and other relief.
He is being represented by Ben Salango and Kristina Salango of Salango Law in Charleston.
Raleigh Circuit Court case number 23-C-85
