BAKER COUNTY, Fla. — A Baker County physical education teacher was arrested Thursday after deputies say he taped a student to a chair at Westside Elementary School.
Kristopher Waite, 50, was charged with Cruelty Towards Child, Abuse Child Without Great Bodily Harm, according to his arrest report from the Baker County Sheriff’s Office.
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The child’s mother was informed about the incident by the school’s principal and was told that it would be investigated internally, but no further details could be provided, the report said.
A meeting with the girl’s parents and school administration was scheduled for Friday morning, but the mother reached out to BCSO because she was not sure if they had been contacted, the report said.
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The victim told deputies that she walked into Waite’s classroom around 2:30 and started “playing with a roll of duct tape from his desk,” the report said.
According to the report, Waite asked the victim to stop playing with the tape, and at that point began to take the tape back and wrapped the tape around the child’s waist and a chair.
The child said her limbs were not taped to the chair, but she could not free herself from the chair, the report said.
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She said she struggled with the tape for about 30 seconds before another classmate and “cut the tape with the sharp part of a tape dispenser to free her from the chair,” according to the report.
The victim said Waite “is normally a playful teacher,” but “nothing similar to this” had happened before, the report said.
She said she was “scared” when Waite “did not seem to intend to free her from the chair” and that he “angrily questioned the other students who let her loose,” the report said.
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When recalling the incident to deputies the report said the “victim began to have tears in her eyes.”
Deputies said they were permitted by the victim to take pictures of her and she had “no complaints of physical injury and none were observed,” the report said.
BCSO made contact with Waite at his house, and after he was informed of his rights, he said he would speak to deputies.
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When he was asked why deputies were at his home, he said, “I’m guessing it’s about the tape.”
Waite told deputies that when the victim entered his class, she began “playing with a roll of clear office tape” on his desk, the report said.
Waite said he told her to stop playing with it and took it from her and then “jokingly wrapped the tape” around her torso and the chair one time, “making an effort to avoid her hair or skin,” the report said.
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He told deputies the “victim and other classmates were laughing during the incident,” the report said.
Waite said he was unsure how the student got freed from the chair, as it happened while his back was turned.
Waite told deputies that the victim was taped to the chair for about a minute, and he didn’t think it was a “big deal,” as she “stayed in the class and continued to joke and play with other students,” the report said.
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Waite said he was not sure about the type of tape that was used. Deputies said he was “unable to confirm whether it was clear office tape or a wider clear packing tape.”
He did tell deputies that “duct tape was not used and should not be present in the classroom,” the report said.
Waite said another teacher was present in the room when the incident happened, but was not sure if she witnessed it.
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The Baker County School District released the following statement to Action News Jax.
“A teacher at Westside Elementary School was arrested last night due to an alleged incident that occurred during the school day involving a student under his care. The school administration was notified and took immediate action. We are cooperating fully with the Baker County Sheriff’s Office, conducting our own internal investigation, and following all school district policies and procedures related to this matter. This information was communicated with staff and families in a timely manner. Unfortunately, we are unable to discuss any specifics regarding this investigation while it is ongoing.
“Our district is filled with wonderful teachers and staff who work hard daily to ensure that children are safe and are being afforded the best education possible. As always, the safety and welfare of our students continues to be our top priority.”
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