A teacher’s aide at a Pennsylvania middle school was arrested Tuesday for allegedly assaulting a 12-year-old boy with special needs.

Per WPVI, Erin Horan, an aide at Indian Valley Middle School, is accused of attacking Tony Walston on April 12 after he walked outside the school and sat on some steps. Investigators said the aide followed Walston and tried to forcibly pick him up but ended up knocking him on his stomach.

Moran knocked Walston back on his stomach before kicking the child “twice on the right side of his stomach and chest area,” an affidavit stated.

Authorities said surveillance cameras caught the entire attack.

Walston’s mother, Tina Davis, told the news station that her son hasn’t been to school in several days and has had nightmares since the reported assault.

“He did say he doesn’t want to go back to the school,” she said.

Davis claimed school officials initially withheld information about her son’s assault and made it appear as if he was injured in an accident. Alarmingly, she also alleged that Horan was in the classroom with her teen son for a few days after the incident occurred.

“It’s just been a nightmare,” the mother said. “A total nightmare.”

Horan, who was hired to assist students with special needs, was charged Tuesday night with simple assault and harassment.

The school district issued the following statement in light of Horan’s arrest:

“The school’s administrative team immediately reported the allegation to the appropriate authorities, including the police, opened an internal investigation, and terminated the contract which permitted the contracted aide to work at the school.”

[Featured Image: Erin Horan, Tony Walston/WPVI video screengrab]