Connecticut school employee accused of strangling students

A Norwalk school employee has been arrested and charged with strangling several students last month, including one who passed out.

Norwalk Public Schools contacted police about an incident on Feb. 24, in which investigators said an employee caused a student to pass out at Brookside Elementary School.

Stephanie Sanabria, 50, was a maths coach and demonstrated a martial arts chokehold to three fifth graders in her class, according to police.

Authorities said the chokehold knocked one of the students unconscious. The student was immediately attended to by the school nurse.

The Special Victims Unit investigated the incident and issued an arrest warrant for Sanabria on Friday.

Sanabria was arrested at her Danbury home and faces charges including strangulation, risk of injury to a minor, and reckless endangerment.

Her bail is set at $20,000 and she is due in court on March 10.

The district released a statement saying, in part, “Ms. Sanabria has resigned from her job at Norwalk Public Schools. The safety of our students is our top concern and we immediately investigated Ms. Sanabria’s situation when it happened.”