Family defends 10-year-old boy who school counselor says groped her

(Daily Caller) – A school counselor at Holly Hill School in Volusia County, Florida, is pressing charges against a 10-year-old boy she claimed touched her inappropriately during a hug.

The child faces charges of misdemeanor battery as a result of the counselor’s allegations, however his family flatly denies her claims, NBC News reported Wednesday. The counselor said that she was visiting the boy’s classroom in late October when he approached her for a hug and allegedly reached to grab her left breast.

The counselor claimed she had turned to give “a side hug” to the child, who put an arm around her shoulder and reached up to assault her with his other, according to NBC News. Reports from the Local 12 new outlets suggest that the counselor had to forcibly remove the boy’s hand.

The boy was suspended from his elementary school after police were called, following the incident of alleged battery, and has yet to be charged formally, NBC News reported. Lawyers for the child’s family have also denied the counselor’s allegations, and further claimed that the school never investigated the incident before suspending the child.

“We’re talking about a 10-year-old boy being kicked out of school for what possibly could have been an accident,” the child’s grandmother and legal guardian told Local 12.

“There’s no witnesses, [just] her word against his,” she said of the counselor, who is reportedly focused on mental health, according to USA Today. The police report noted that there was a teacher present in the room when the alleged incident occurred, but the teacher did not witness what, if anything, happened, NBC News noted.