INDIANA SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER ACCUSED OF DRAGGING A 5-YEAR-OLD STUDENT AND LOCKING CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES IN A CLASSROOM CLOSET

A former special education teacher in Indianapolis, Indiana, is facing nine criminal charges after a grand jury accused him of repeatedly mistreating young students with disabilities. Hunter Sesemann, 28, allegedly engaged in a pattern of misconduct involving children who were just 5 and 6 years old while working at Washington Irving Neighborhood School 14. According to court documents, the alleged incidents included physically hurting students, dragging a child along a hallway floor and using a classroom closet to confine children as punishment.

One of the most disturbing allegations involves an incident on September 29, 2025. According to a legal claim filed on behalf of a child’s family, Sesemann allegedly extended his leg into the path of a 5-year-old boy, causing him to fall hard onto the floor. The filing alleges that the teacher laughed as the child fell, then grabbed him by the ankle and dragged him along the hallway. The allegations have raised serious concerns because the children involved were young and relied on school staff to provide care, supervision and support.

Court filings describe other alleged incidents in the classroom. On another occasion, Sesemann allegedly repeatedly snapped a hair tie against the top of the same child’s head. When a registered behavior technician reportedly intervened, he allegedly snapped the hair tie against her hand and made an insulting remark. The legal documents also describe an incident in which he allegedly picked up a student, dropped the child onto the floor and placed the child inside a classroom closet. The filings claim the closet was used on multiple occasions as a disciplinary measure.

Additional allegations include an incident in which a student reportedly fell and dislocated an elbow while walking beside Sesemann. A colleague allegedly described his behavior as aggressive. Attorneys representing the children’s families say the allegations raise important questions about how the students were treated, what school officials knew and whether more could have been done to protect them. The families are preparing civil lawsuits against Sesemann and potentially other parties connected to the school.

Sesemann faces three counts each of battery, battery against a person younger than 14, and battery against a person with a disability. Indianapolis Public Schools said he worked for the district from July 2023 until November 2025 and was removed from the classroom after officials learned of allegations involving students. The district also notified its police department and the Indiana Department of Child Services. At the time the indictment became public, Sesemann was working in a student-support role at St. Matthew Catholic School, which said he had been placed on administrative leave.

The criminal case remains pending, and the allegations have not been proven in court. For the families involved, however, the case has already raised painful questions about the safety of children with disabilities and the responsibility of adults entrusted with their care. Their attorneys say they want answers about what happened inside the classroom and whether the alleged mistreatment could have been prevented.

Read more: https://lawandcrime.com/crime/teacher-confined-students-with-disabilities-in-closet-laughed-after-tripping-5-year-old-dragged-kids-on-floor-court-documents/