For the second time in a week, Baker Police have arrested a teacher for allegedly choking a young student, said Baker Police Chief Mike Knaps.

On Oct. 26, Maxine Gray, 67, of Baker, was arrested and charged with cruelty to a juvenile, said Knaps.

Initially police were contacted over an incident which occurred at Baker Heights Elementary on Sept. 1. Gray, the librarian at Baker Heights, is accused of choking a nine-year old boy after he was told numerous times to sit down.

The young boy, who was questioned about the incident with his mother present, told police Gray repeatedly told him to sit down and refused to do so. He eventually sat down but then stood back up, he said.

The student said Gray then grabbed him by the shirt with one hand and grabbed him around the neck with the other hand, and she began to choke him.

The boy's regular teacher stated that when she returned to the classroom, the student told her that Gray had tried to choke him. The teacher also told detectives that she witnessed Gray "grab the boy by the back of the neck and continue to yell at him."

Knaps said the boy's teacher stated she also witnessed the student try to get away from the librarian as she "had a hold of his book sack straps and shirt, then pushed him backwards causing him to almost fall down."

It was then, Knaps said, that the teacher got in between Gray and the young boy and sent him to another teacher's classroom.

The boy’s mother made a complaint about the incident on Sept. 29 and told police the incident was also being investigated by the Baker School Board. The mother told Baker Police she wanted to file criminal charges against Gray, Knaps said.

Gray was arrested and charged with one count of cruelty to a juvenile. She was booked and transported to East Baton Rouge Parish Prison and denies all the allegations against her.

Mildred Russ, 65, of 5629 Afton Parkway in Baton Rouge, was arrested by officers Oct. 19 when it was discovered that she physically choked and dragged six-year-old Kiya Rogers on the playground during recess, said Knaps.