Teacher accused of putting student in headlock, dragging him down stairs bonds out of jail

LONGWOOD, Fla. — A teacher at Lyman High School was arrested Monday on charges of child abuse in connection to an incident involving a student, the Longwood Police Department said.

The teacher, identified as Wilbert DelaCruz, 38, had the interaction with the student on Friday, investigators said.

He is accused of restraining a student in a headlock and dragging him down a flight of stairs, police said.

Students' parents interviewed by Channel 9 said they were horrified by the allegations.

Watch: Longwood teacher bonds out of jail

"I'm, like, in shock," parent Amanda Ribeiro said. "I was not expecting this to happen in this school at all."

Parent Tiffany Dowling said she hated to hear that a teacher has been accused of assaulting a student, but that it wasn't going to affect her opinion of the school overall.

"It's sad when things like that happen," she said, adding, "I would have no problem sending my kids here still. None."

DelaCruz is a social studies teacher at Lyman High School, Seminole County Schools said.

Watch: Teacher accused of putting student in headlock leaves jail

He started as a substitute in 2003 and was hired as a full-time teacher at Oviedo High School in 2004, the district said.

DelaCruz has held teaching positions at Oviedo, Lake Howell and Lyman high schools and has no prior discipline issues in his personnel file, officials said.

He was placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the criminal investigation.

DelaCruz posted his $5,000 bond and was released from the Seminole County Jail just before 11:30 p.m.

Cox Media Group