Nationwide — A United States Postal Service worker was caught on digital camera, nonetheless in uniform, bodily assaulting a 10-year-old lady outdoors Ben Franklin Elementary College in Cleveland, Ohio. The incident came about final September, simply after the varsity day ended. Regardless of clear video proof and a police report detailing the altercation, the case sat unresolved for months attributable to a sequence of procedural missteps.Based on the report filed by an officer with the Cleveland Metropolitan College District (CMSD) Police Division, the younger lady stated she was initially attacked by one other pupil utilizing a e-book bag whereas strolling to her faculty bus. She then claimed the scholar’s mom, a USPS employee, escalated the state of affairs by intervening bodily. The officer’s report states the girl shoved the lady to the bottom and referred to as her a derogatory identify, inflicting the kid to hit her head on a close-by tree.
Based on Cleveland 19 News, alhough the officer recognized a number of potential fees—together with assault, little one endangerment, delinquency of a minor, and felony conduct on faculty grounds—no arrest was made, and the USPS worker’s identify was withheld because of the absence of formal fees. The officer referred the case to the Cleveland metropolis prosecutor, but it surely was mistakenly despatched to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Workplace as an alternative, which solely handles felony-level offenses.
On November 14, 2024, Assistant County Prosecutor Debora Brewer responded with a letter stating the case didn’t meet the edge for felony prosecution and suggested CMSD police to refer it to the town’s prosecutor for potential misdemeanor fees. Regardless of that advice, the case was by no means forwarded as instructed. It wasn’t till April 16, 2025—after inquiries by information station WOIO—that the town prosecutor’s workplace obtained the related paperwork.
A spokesperson for the town prosecutor confirmed they’d no data of the case till CMSD despatched the stories on April 17, almost seven months after the preliminary incident. The town prosecutor’s workplace is now ready to fulfill with CMSD police to debate potential fees, noting that CMSD has indicated a want to pursue the matter. Nonetheless, no definitive actions have been taken since that alternate.
When contacted by WOIO, the postal worker declined to remark. The U.S. Postal Service additionally distanced itself from the incident, with Cleveland-based Postal Inspector Ian Ortega stating the matter falls below native jurisdiction, as the worker was off-duty, although nonetheless in uniform. CMSD has not offered a proof for the delay in forwarding the case till prompted by media involvement.
