DC police: Teacher charged with harming student

A D.C. elementary school teacher has been charged with harming a student.

Cameron Lewis, a teacher at Turner Elementary School in Southeast, is alleged to have squeezed the arm of a third grade student too hard, leaving a handprint.

He has been charged with assault and attempted second-degree child cruelty.

On November 30, the 8-year-old said he was talking during a classroom transition, according to court documents.

According to the child's mother, the child has special needs.

The child told police that his teacher got angry with him for talking during a transition and not going to the next class. He said that Lewis grabbed his arm and walked him out of the classroom.

The 8-year-old said his teacher squeezed his arm very hard, which made him cry, authorities said.

A police investigation showed that the child asked his teacher in the next class if he could go to the school nurse, who told police that she saw the mark on his arm and gave him an ice pack for swelling. The nurse then recommended to Lewis that he call the child's mother about the incident.

FOX 5 tried to get Lewis' side of the story, but his lawyer did not respond to a call for a comment.

In a statement, D.C. Public Schools said:

"DC Public Schools takes school security and student safety very seriously. The school based staff followed all protocols in this incident. We have let the school community know about the situation. All other requests should be referred to the Metropolitan Police Department."

Police are asking people to call if they know of any other similar offenses by Lewis. He has been suspended pending the outcome of the investigation.