An elementary school teacher in California is facing charges after he allegedly dangled a student from a second floor balcony.
Andres Tobar, 47, a teacher at Marshall Elementary School in San Francisco, California, has been charged with felony child endangerment and abuse after he allegedly dangled a student from a second floor balcony at the school, PEOPLE reports.
Videos by PopCulture.com
Tobar turned himself into police on Tuesday, Jan. 30 after learning that a warrant had been issued for his arrest.
The San Francisco Police Department launched an investigation earlier this month after they received a report of a case of child abuse involving a minor in the Mission District, the department stated on their Facebook page. Authorities identified Tobar as a suspect and issued a warrant for his arrest.
According to an email sent by San Francisco School District Chief Communications Officer Gentle Blythe to local news station KPIX 5, Tobar had been seen “cradling a student and holding the student over the balcony on the 2nd floor of Marshall Elementary School” on Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2016.
The school immediately contacted the parents of the alleged victim and Tobar was placed on administrative leave as the school district conducts its own thorough investigation into the alleged incident.
The San Francisco Examiner reported that Tobar had been a beloved bilingual teacher at Marshall Elementary School for more than two decades at the time of his arrest. After the school district failed to notify parents of the alleged incident, more 30 parents demanded answers from the San Francisco Unified School District and advocated for Tobar’s return to the classroom.
Support for Tobar has also been shown on the San Francisco Police Department’s Facebook page, with news of his arrest being met with comments of support from past students.
“This man is no criminal. This man has been a bridge to my educational success. He has influenced me to become the person I am. And I will continue to grow with his positive influence,” one person wrote.
“There is more to this story! He was given numerous awards at that school! I’ve known him since he was a child and this doesn’t make sense! I’ve encountered some really horrible teachers who are still employed with SFUSD. Please investigate this case thoroughly,” wrote another.
Tobar was booked into the San Francisco County Jail and he remains on paid administrative leave with Marshall Elementary School.
