A Cincinnati father received shocking photos showing his 6-year-old son bound with socks at the wrists and ankles inside a school van, triggering investigations by the district and police.
The incident occurred Thursday at Roberts Academy when staff restrained the boy during transport to an after-school program where he receives behavioral support services, according to Cincinnati Enquirer. Cincinnati Public Schools Superintendent Shauna Murphy told families the situation is “concerning” and that appropriate steps are being taken to review what happened.
The boy’s teacher described the sequence of events in an email shared with the child’s aunt, Molly Perry. (RELATED: American Missionary Kidnapped At Gunpoint In South Africa While Delivering Sermon)
Cincinnati Public Schools is investigating photos of student restrained with socks https://t.co/morqr3Tec5
— Enquirer (@Enquirer) November 7, 2025
The student had an outburst on the playground, kicking and screaming at a security guard. Staff tried to escort him to the van when he began hitting and kicking a teacher. He threatened to kill the teacher, according to the email.
An administrator suggested restraining the student. The teacher first turned the boy’s coat backwards with the zipper on his back. When that failed, a security guard retrieved tube socks from the van and tied the child’s wrists behind his back with one sock and bound his ankles with another.
Staff at Kids Thrive, the behavioral program, photographed the restraints and immediately contacted the family.
“‘Daddy, at least the socks weren’t dirty. They were clean socks,’” Gabriel Perry said his son told him, according to WLWT News 5.
Ohio law requires physical restraint only as a last resort when there is immediate risk of harm. Perry said no one from Roberts Academy contacted the family during the incident, Cincinnati Enquirer reported.
He filed a police report and the district continues its investigation.