Three Former Texas School District Employees Charged in Abuse of Special Needs Student

TYLER, Texas — Three former employees of the Tyler Independent School District have been arrested and charged with child abuse after allegedly forcing a student with special needs to walk in circles for hours with his hands taped behind his back.

Krystina Renea Haas, 35, June Tryon, 57, and Priscilla Gutierrez, 22, were taken into custody Friday by the district’s police department on charges of injury to a child or disabled person.

According to arrest documents obtained by KLTV, video footage from inside a Tyler High School classroom on March 12 captured the abuse. Haas, identified as the student’s primary teacher, is accused of leading the mistreatment, while Tryon and Gutierrez allegedly assisted or failed to intervene.

The footage reportedly shows Haas forcing the student, who has Down syndrome, to walk in circles from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. She later taped his hands together and continued making him walk for another 30 minutes. He was then forced to stand against a wall for more than two hours. The video also captures Haas yelling and cursing at the student, while Tryon spoke to him in a demeaning manner and Gutierrez crocheted at her desk.

During police interviews, Tryon and Gutierrez admitted to witnessing and assisting in the abuse but did nothing to stop it. Haas claimed she was angered by the student’s alleged rude gestures and comments, despite knowing he had Down syndrome.

The three were booked into the Smith County Jail, with Haas’ bond set at $300,000 and Tryon and Gutierrez’s bonds at $150,000 each.

Tyler ISD confirmed the arrests, stating that the women are no longer employed by the district. Superintendent Dr. Marty Crawford condemned the incident, calling it “appalling, disappointing, and disheartening,” especially given that it involved a vulnerable student. The district said it took immediate action upon learning of the allegations, launching an internal investigation, notifying Child Protective Services, and cooperating with law enforcement.

"The safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority," the district stated.