Former special ed teacher accused of abuse

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APPLETON, Wis. (AP) — A former special education teacher is accused of physically abusing some of her students in Calumet County.

Fifty-three-year-old Mary Berglund is charged with nine counts of physical abuse of a child dating back to September 2009. She’s also charged with strangulation and suffocation.

All of the charges stem from Berglund’s time teaching at Janet Berry Elementary School in Appleton.

According to a criminal complaint, in one case Berglund allegedly got on top of a child and pushed his head back by the throat as he tried to bite her. In another case, the complaint says Berglund allegedly grabbed a 9-year-old boy by the neck and squeezed, causing him to cry.

WLUK-TV says the complaint lists five juvenile victims, all of whom are described as either non-verbal or low-functioning.

Berglund declined comment Wednesday.

Information from: WLUK-TV, http://www.fox11online.com