Mother sues Wayne Township Schools over alleged abuse of autistic daughter

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — An Indianapolis mother has filed a lawsuit against Wayne Township Schools and three former employees, alleging they physically and emotionally abused her 8-year-old daughter.

The complaint, filed Jan. 29 in Marion Superior Court 12, claims the student, who is nonverbal and has autism, was punched, thrown against a wall and neglected while enrolled at North Wayne Elementary School.

The student, identified in the lawsuit by the pseudonym “Jill Doe,” was enrolled in the school’s Thrive classroom in February 2025. The program for students with significant disabilities.

The child’s mother, identified in the lawsuit as “Jane Doe,” alleged her daughter was entrusted to the care of a special education teacher and two paraprofessionals. The lawsuit claims the district failed to provide a safe environment or adequately train staff to manage the needs of vulnerable students. The lawsuit says the teacher and paraprofessionals are no longer employed with Wayne Township Schools.

News 8 is not naming the Wayne Township Schools educators because they have not been charged with any crimes.

A spokesperson for Wayne Township Schools told News 8 that the west-side public school district was working on providing a statement about the lawsuit.

Shortly after the girl was placed in the program, the child’s mother began noticing behavioral changes, the lawsuit says. ...