CORRECTION: It was reported Wednesday that the pepper spraying victim was a girl. The Collier County Sheriff's Office confirmed Thursday that the victim was in fact an eight-year-old boy, sprayed in the face accidentally by a girl.
The Collier County Sheriff's Office is investigating an incident in which a student was reportedly pepper-sprayed at a North Naples elementary school Tuesday. According to North Collier Fire-Rescue, when first responders rushed to the school, a school nurse was flushing a child's face with water.
According to an incident report from the Sheriff's Office, a girl was given the pepper spray by family members as protection from bullying. When the boy found out the girl had the pepper spray, he asked her to spray some in his hands. When she did, some of the spray deflected into his face.
Attorney Mike Chionopoulos said that the girl's parents could be held legally responsible.
"If the child got it from his house or someplace else, it's parental responsibility as far as I'm concerned," Chionopoulos said. "You've got to check your child's backpack every morning when he goes to school, and every afternoon when he comes home."
The report states that no charges will be filed, and that the school will handle discipline in the matter.
It also states that an investigator with the Department of Children and Families stated that DCF will not open a case in the incident.
