Cumberland County teacher, employee arrested for assaulting students

CUMBERLAND COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- Cumberland County Sheriff's Office detectives arrested teacher Danny Mandell Pettigrew and safe school coordinator Terry Van Drake on Tuesday. Both men work at Pauline Jones Middle School.

Pettigrew was arrested for misdemeanor child abuse. Deputies said he grabbed a student in his class by the neck and chest and threw him against the wall.

Drake was charged with 3 counts of child abuse. On Oct. 28, Drake was accused of forcefully pulling a child from a desk by the wrist, according to authorities. Deputies said a short time later he grabbed the child by the wrist and forced him to the floor and then placed his knee on the child's back.

Later that day, Drake grabbed another boy by the wrist, pulled him off balance and forced him to the ground, deputies said. Drake struggled with the boy on the ground until he got the boy's hands behind his back then forced him into a desk, according to authorities.

On Oct. 30, Deputies said Drake grabbed another boy by the wrist, forced him to the ground, then picked him up and put him in a desk.

Both men were taken to the Cumberland County Jail and will both have their first appearance in court on Wednesday.