DAYTON — The former Dayton Public Schools employee accused of assaulting an autistic child has entered a guilty plea.
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Darrick Sorrells, 57, pleaded guilty to one count each of assault and endangering children on Thursday, according to Montgomery County Common Pleas Court records.
As reported on News Center 7 at 5:00, the attorney who represents the child’s, Braylen Tootle, parents said the plea was “a surprise” and “kind of hurtful.”
Neither of Tootle’s parents was in court during the plea hearing because no one had told them about it.
“They wanted to make sure that they stood and saw this man plead guilty for harming their child,” Michael Wright, the family’s attorney, said.
Sorrells was an employee at Rosa Parks Early Learning Center in August 2023 when he was caught on surveillance video hitting Tootle, a 4-year-old boy with special needs.
Sorrells was pulling the child in a wagon when he got out of the wagon and took off running. The video showed Sorrells chasing after the boy and when he caught up to him, Sorrells was seen hitting the child on the head and knocking him down.
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The video then showed Sorrells picking the child up by the ankles and carrying him upside down back down the hallway.
Sorrells was placed on administrative leave after the incident, but later “resigned in lieu of termination.”
As part of a plea agreement, a count of endangering children was dismissed.
“He should have pled to all the charges,” Wright said.
The plea came quickly after Sorrells, who had been ruled incompetent earlier this year, was ruled competent to stand trial last month.
“To have him enter a plea that they didn’t agree with and then tell them after the fact, that’s not right,” Wright said.
The family will get a chance to see him face to face when Sorrells is sentenced next month.
Meanwhile, Wright had filed a civil lawsuit against the school district and Sorrells on behalf of the Tootle family.
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