Myrtle Beach Elementary school aide arrested for allegedly hitting child
A Myrtle Beach Elementary school employee has been arrested for allegedly hitting a student.
Georgia Branch, 68, of Myrtle Beach, was charged Thursday with cruelty to children, according to a Myrtle Beach Police report.
This is the second school employee to be arrested for allegedly harming a student in the last two days.
Gabriel Hernandez, a special education teacher at St. James Intermediate, was arrested Friday morning by U.S. Marshals and charged with cruelty to children.
Branch is identified as an aide at Myrtle Beach Elementary school.
Police were notified March 24 by administration that a possible assault had taken place at the school on Seahawk Way between the defendant and the victim, according to a police report.
The student is autistic, according to a report by WMBF. Police reviewed a video that showed where the alleged assault took place.
The school system identified Branch as a paraprofessional. A statement was released Friday by Lisa Bourcier, director of strategic communications and community engagement.
“On Thursday morning (April 13, 2023) we were notified that Georgia Branch, a paraprofessional at Myrtle Beach Elementary School, was arrested by the Myrtle Beach Police Department for cruelty to children (misdemeanor). Ms. Branch has been on administrative leave with pay since March 27 due to the alleged incident and will remain on leave until further notice.”
Another Horry County school employee was charged last year with unlawful conduct toward a child and the principal who allegedly failed to report it. The incident happened at Ocean Bay Elementary.
