PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A Pittsburgh Public School teacher was seriously injured after officials say she was followed in her car and assaulted after school, allegedly in a dispute over a child’s cellphone.
Hours after the incident, late on Wednesday night, Pittsburgh Police confirmed to KDKA that they are working on an arrest warrant or warrants for a suspect or suspects in the case, who remain unidentified.
KDKA’s Marty Griffin Reports —
The incident reportedly started at Pittsburgh King PreK-8 School on the North Side earlier on Wednesday. Sources described to KDKA’s Marty Griffin a “rather shocking and violent incident.”
The district has a “no cell phone” policy. The teacher, identified as 46-year-old Janice Watkins, confiscated a phone from a fourth grade girl, who then allegedly bit her. Sources say the student’s parents came to school, with the mother allegedly telling the teacher she was “going to get even.”
Janice Watkins (Source: Facebook)
Sources say the girl’s parents then followed Watkins in her car as she went to get the bite wound checked out at a local clinic.
According to Pittsburgh Police, the assault happened around 3:15 p.m. at the busy intersection of Route 65 and the West End Bridge. Watkins had just left school when a black SUV approached her vehicle.
“She said, ‘I put my window down and the woman threw a brick through my window,’ and hit her in her face,” said Betty Davis, Watkins’ mother. “And that’s when she said, ‘I told you I would get you,’ and [Watkins] said, ‘I didn’t realize it was two other people,’ but she said she felt something hit her in the back and it was two men.”
Lisa Washington’s Report:
The assailants took off after the assault. Watkins, dazed and bleeding, called 911.
“My heart goes out to the child, because what has that mother taught that child? Whatever it is, you solve it with violence,” said Davis.
Watkins suffered facial injuries and lost a tooth. She was taken by ambulance to Allegheny General Hospital and listed in stable condition.
“Her head is hurting real bad, her face on the one side is swollen,” said David. “They say they want to do a scan to make sure everything is okay.”
KDKA reached out to Pittsburgh Public School District officials multiple times Wednesday, but they have not released any comment. However, a teacher at the school tells KDKA that Pittsburgh Police will be present on the grounds Thursday.
Davis says her family will rely on their faith in their battle for justice.
“Let the Lord fight this for me. I’m going to do this right, do it the right way,” she said.
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