Inset: Donald C. Perkins (Harris County Jail). Background: The Texas school where Perkins is charged with assaulting an autistic student who later died (KTRK).
A 42-year-old behavioral specialist at a Texas school for students with disabilities is accused of forcefully shoving a nonverbal autistic student to the ground, an alleged assault that preceded a medical emergency that left the child brain-dead days later.
Donald Cameron Perkins is facing one count of felony injury to a disabled individual following the April 23 incident at the Carlton Pre-Vocational Center in Cypress. Perkins was employed as a behavioral specialist at the center.
According to a probable cause affidavit from the Cypress-Fairbanks Police Department, Perkins” “unprovoked and excessive” use of force caused bodily injury to a student identified in court documents as S.M., who later died.
The investigation began after officers responded to the campus for what was initially reported as a medical emergency involving the student, who had already been transported to a nearby hospital. The child, described by his parents as autistic and “essentially nonverbal,” later suffered catastrophic oxygen deprivation. He was ultimately declared brain-dead before dying days later.
Perkins initially told investigators he had been called to a school bus after the student grabbed food from the bus driver and put it in his mouth, prompting staff intervention. He claimed he removed the child from the bus, walked him toward the building, and that the student fell outside before being escorted to a classroom, where staff later believed he was choking.
But surveillance footage obtained by police contradicted key portions of that account and captured what investigators described as a far more aggressive sequence of events.
Video from inside the school shows Perkins “forcefully and deliberately” pushing the student from behind as they entered a classroom.
“The Defendant extended both arms to push S.M. forward. S.M. became slightly airborne and landed chest-down, with his knees and hands hitting the tile floor,” the affidavit states. “Based on my training and experience, I believe S.M. felt pain as a result of the Defendant’s push and S.M.’s subsequent contact with the ground as a result of the Defendant’s push. The push was forceful, and S.M. hit the ground with significant force. Additionally, the surveillance video from inside the classroom records sound. A loud thud can be heard on the surveillance video at the point where S.M. made contact with the ground.”
The footage also allegedly showed that the student had food in his mouth at the time and a known history of choking risks — facts investigators say made the use of force particularly dangerous.
“The Defendant knew that S.M. still had food in his mouth and that S.M. had a history of potential choking hazards,” the affidavit states.
Authorities further determined the push was not an approved restraint technique and fell outside the bounds of acceptable conduct for staff working with special-needs students.
“The Defendant’s use was unprovoked and excessive in degree,” investigators wrote, adding that it was “not an authorized restraint when dealing with a special needs student with behavioral issues.”
Moments after the fall, the student got up, removed his backpack, and sat down at his desk. Within minutes, staff in the classroom became concerned that he was choking as his condition rapidly deteriorated.
Witnesses can be heard on the classroom audio saying the child was choking shortly before his body went limp. Perkins then attempted the Heimlich maneuver, but it was unsuccessful, and emergency responders were called.
The student was initially transported to Memorial Hermann–Cypress Hospital before being airlifted to Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston. Medical personnel later determined he had suffered a “catastrophic medical event,” including prolonged oxygen deprivation. Multiple brain scans showed no activity.
Several days later, the child’s father informed investigators that the student had died.
Additional surveillance footage from the school bus and exterior areas showed the student placing something in his mouth and attempting to avoid staff intervention, but investigators noted they did not observe the fall outside the building that Perkins had described.
The affidavit emphasizes that the physical contact seen on video inside the classroom directly followed the interaction in the hallway, linking the escalation in force to the events immediately preceding the medical emergency.
Based on the totality of the evidence, including video recordings and witness statements, investigators concluded there was probable cause to believe Perkins intentionally caused bodily injury to a vulnerable student in his care.
Perkins was arrested and released after posting $30,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in court on Monday.
