NORTH FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — The family of a 5-year-old boy police say his therapist abused him, and they don’t think this was an isolated incident.
They say the child had been pulling away from the therapist whenever he would go in for a session at Pathways Autism Center in Johns Creek.
The boy’s family says despite surveillance video capturing the incident, the center still insists this was an accident and refused to call police.
“I was angry. I was disappointed. I was upset,” Diamond Boyd, the boy’s mother, communicated to Channel 2’s Tom Jones via sign language.
The boy’s father was also upset.
“I was very disappointed and shocked,” Antonio Martin said.
Their son has autism and had been going to Pathways Autism Center the last two years. Then the center called the family saying he had slipped and fell and suffered a deep cut to his forehead.
“That’s when mom asked to see the video. They told her no twice, the boy’s grandmother, Daniell Carroll said.
The mother insisted and when the center showed her the video, she recorded it. The family says the center still insisted what happened was an accident.
“No, it was not. He threw my grandchild, He threw him. Everyone wants to say pushed. He threw him,” Carroll said.
The family says they called police when the center refused. Police say they looked at the video and arrested the therapist, Jacob Lameiras.
He faces Aggravated Battery and Second-degree Child Cruelty.
His attorney said his client also has autism and has never harmed any patient he has worked with.
The family’s attorney says the center tried to hide what happened. She plans to pursue legal action.
“We’re going full steam ahead and holding the center liable,” Sharese Shields said.
The child’s grandmother says this could have ended worse than it did.
“He could have killed my grandbaby,” she said.
Jones went inside the center to get the owner’s side to this incident. He left his number and so far, hasn’t heard back. back,
Lameiras’ attorney, Matt Acuff, says his client was fired and the center did a random sampling of video of Lameiras working with clients and saw no unprofessional behavior.
Lameiras was released on a $15,000 bond.
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