A California middle school security officer has been accused of forcibly shutting an 11-year-old's mouth with duct tape as punishment on March 24. Reportedly, the unnamed security officer allegedly punished the child, Noemi Hurtado, because she was being too loud. Furthermore, the security officer would allegedly parade the now-duct-taped girl in front of the middle school and a nearby high school in an enraging and humiliating incident.
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According to KTLA, the incident took place at Blair Middle School in Pasadena. Noemi Hurtado, a sixth grader at the school, was reportedly eating lunch alongside other friends at the time. Then, the female security guard allegedly approached Noemi and took her to the principal's office, where she told the 11-year-old to cover her own mouth with duct tape.
Her father, Ricardo Hurtado, recalled receiving the call about what had happened with his daughter. He called the phone call that "no parent wants to receive."
"She was playing with her friends and being a little too loud," Ricardo told KTLA. "She was asked to stop once and she didn't, I guess, and continued to play."
According to Ricardo, the security officer then allegedly walked the 11-year-old girl throughout the middle school. Ricardo said that the security officer even went as far as walking her to a nearby high school to further humiliate her. He added that the security guard then walked Noemi to her next class and told the teacher that the duct tape should remain over her mouth because "she has a hard time being quiet."
Security Officer Fired
At that very moment, the middle school's head of security, Julio, quickly intervened. He assured Noemi that she had done nothing wrong and that she should head back to the principal's office. As per KTLA, the principal's office confirmed the incident, and the school has since fired the female security officer involved.
"I was in shock," Ricardo told the outlet. "I was just trying to make sure that [my daughter] was okay and wasn't fully damaged herself. An 11-year-old girl shouldn't be going through this."
Following the incident, the Pasadena Unified School District released a statement addressing it.
"The safety and well-being of our students are our top priority," the statement reads. We are aware of allegations involving a former substitute security officer. As a result, this individual is no longer employed by the district. We take concerns like this very seriously and are cooperating fully with the Pasadena Police Department. We are committed to maintaining a safe and supportive environment for our students."
The Hurtado family have filed a police report and reportedly want the female security officer to face legal consequences.
