Florida cop charged with child abuse after slamming boy to ground at middle school

A Florida police officer was arrested on child abuse charges after he was accused of slamming a teenager to the ground.

Mario Badia, a Kissimmee police school resource officer, was placed on paid administrative leave during an investigation of the May 8 incident, which was recorded on surveillance video.

Witnesses said the 40-year-old officer threw the 13-year-old student down, pinned him to the ground, and twisted the boy’s arm behind his back in the front office of Kissimmee Middle School.

The teen had been arguing with his mother when the police officer intervened, authorities said.

Badia yelled at the boy and attempted to grab his chin to turn the teen’s face.

The boy raised his hand to block the officer, who then grabbed the teen’s shirt and arm, lifted him up, and threw him to the ground.

The officer “torqued” the student’s arm behind his back for more than 40 second as the boy screamed in pain, police said.

Badia shoved the teen into a desk after he got up.

Police said the boy never showed aggression toward the officer, who was released on $5,000 bond after his arrest.

Watch this video report posted online by WFTV: