'My son will receive justice:' Dean of PS17X allegedly abused special needs student

The mother of a special needs student who was allegedly abused by the dean of his school says her son "will receive justice."

News 12 Staff

Oct 26, 2019, 9:44 PM

Updated 1,653 days ago

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The mother of a special needs student who was allegedly abused by the dean of his school says her son "will receive justice."
Lili Cerpa says she got a call from Dean Melvin Wigfall on Tuesday at around 11:45 a.m. She says Wigfall told her that her son wouldn't get to the back of the lunch line after cutting the line and that he had to be restrained.
When she came home that night, she was shocked to see multiple bruises and scratches all over her 13-year-old son's neck, back and shoulders.
Cerpa's son says he was grabbed by the neck, removed from the student cafeteria to the staff cafeteria and thrown on a table.
She says the school, PS17X, didn't report the incident until after she went to the school and spoke with the principal the next day.
"This is a nightmare for anybody's parent," Cerpa says. "This is a New York City public school and this is my son…This was not reported and it will not go unnoticed. My son will receive justice."
The Department of Education told News 12 in a statement that "the school immediately reported these deeply concerning allegations and this individual has been suspended without pay pending the outcome of a the criminal investigation."
Wigfall is facing a felony assault charge.
 
 
 
 
 
 


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