A paraeducator of a rural Kansas school district repeatedly shoved a teenager with Down syndrome into a utility closet, hit the boy and once photographed him locked in a cage used to store athletic equipment, a lawsuit claims.

The suit filed Friday in federal court said the paraprofessional assigned to the 15-year-old sent the photo to staff in the Kaw Valley district, comparing the teen to an animal and “making light of his serious, demeaning and discriminatory conduct.”

The teen’s parents alleged in the suit that the paraprofessional did not have a key to the cage where sports equipment was kept and had to enlist help from other district staff to open the door and release their son, who is identified in the complaint only by his initials. The suit, which includes the photo, said it was not clear how long the teen was locked in the cage.

The lawsuit names the paraprofessional, other special education staff and the district, which enrolls around 1,100 and is based in St. Marys, about 30 miles northwest of Topeka.

No attorneys are listed for the district in online court records and phone messages and emails left with district staff were not immediately returned.

Placed in a closet and cage

The suit said the teen’s placement in the closet and cage stemmed from “no behaviors whatsoever, or for minor behaviors” that stemmed from his disability.

The paraprofessional also is accused in the suit of yelling derogatory words within inches of the teen’s face on a daily basis and pulling and yanking the teen by the shirt collar around the school at least once a week.

At least once, the paraprofessional struck the teen in the neck and face, the suit said. The teen who speaks in short, abbreviated sentences, described the incident using the words “hit,” “closet” and the paraprofessional’s first name.

The suit said the paraprofessional also made the teen stay in soiled clothing for long periods and denied him food during lunchtime.

The suit said some staff expressed concerns to the special education teacher who oversaw the paraprofessional, as well as the district’s special education director. But the suit said neither of them intervened, even though there had been other complaints about the paraprofessional’s treatment of disabled students in the past.

The suit said the defendants described their treatment of the teen as “tough love” and “how you have to handle him.”

The suit said the director instructed subordinates not to report their concerns to the state child welfare agency. However, when the parents raised concerns, a district employee reported them to the agency, citing abuse and neglect concerns, the suit said.

No criminal charges are listed in online court records for the paraprofessional or any of the employees named in the suit. And no disciplinary actions are listed for staff in a state education department database.

The suit said the teen’s behavior deteriorated. The suit said he refuses to leave his home out of fear, quit using his words and increasingly punches himself in the head.

The Kansas City Royals beat the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night by a score of 7-1 as they moved to 67-55 on the year. It was a crucial win for Kansas City, who remains 2.5 games ahead of Boston in the chase for the third and final wild card spot. They are now 4.5 games ahead of Seattle.

The Royals are seeking their first playoff berth since the 2015 season, which is also the last time they won the World Series.

As he usually is, Royals’ shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. was the driving force behind the Royals offense. He went 3-for-4 with a home run, three runs scored, a walk and an RBI. He’s now hitting a ridiculous .352 this season and has posted a 1.021 OPS.

He’s currently on track to win the batting title in the American League and will likely battle it out with Yankees’ star Aaron Judge for the American League MVP Award. Witt Jr. already earned his first All-Star Game berth this summer. He also joined a small and prestigious group in team history on Friday, according to Sarah Langs of MLB.com:

seasons of 25+ HR & 25+ SB, Royals history:

Bobby Witt Jr.: 2
Carlos Beltrán: 2
Bo Jackson: 2

he’s 24 years old!!!

To be one of just three players in team history to accomplish that twice is incredible, considering that the Royals have a long and rich history. At just 24-years-old, Witt Jr. is likely to destroy many franchise records and will take aim at doing this for a third time in 2025.

The Royals will play the Reds again on Saturday night at 6:40 p.m. ET.

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A Kansas high school football player has died just a few days after suffering a medical emergency, according to multiple reports.

KMBC reported that a football player from Shawnee Mission Northwest High School had an unspecified medical emergency after an off-season conditioning session on Wednesday and then died on Friday.

According to an email sent out to the student body and families on Friday, the deceased football player was revealed to be sophomore Ovet Gomez Regalado.

KSHB reported he was 15 years old.

“Death is always difficult to handle, but particularly so when someone so young dies,” wrote school principal Dr. Lisa Gruman, per KMBC. “It will be important to recognize that all of us will need time to process what has happened, and to express our feelings. Your child may struggle to make sense of this death. Please encourage your child to express their feelings, and be there to talk with them about what has happened.”

Additionally, a statement was released by the Shawnee Mission Northwest Football Booster Club in the wake of Gomez Regalado’s passing.

“Our football family has suffered the tragic loss of one our own,” the statement read. “We were informed this morning of the passing of Ovet Gomez Regalado. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family, teammates, and coaches. We know many of you will want to find a way to support the family and honor his memory. We will work with the school district to support their efforts and share with you any opportunities that arise.”

This news comes just days after a 14-year-old Alabama football player passed away suddenly after collapsing in a practice.

According to KMBC, Shawnee Mission Northwest football had been scheduled to begin practice on Monday in anticipation of their 2024 season.