New Ulm teacher accused of kneeing 6-year-old student's back in classroom
NEW ULM, Minn. (FOX 9) - A New Ulm teacher is facing charges after investigators say she used unreasonable force on a 6-year-old student at school.
Teacher accused of using excessive force on student
What we know:
According to a criminal complaint filed in Brown County District Court, Stephanie Ruth Wurtzberger of Sleepy Eye is accused of malicious punishment of a child after an incident at River Bend Education District on Feb. 19, 2026.
The complaint states police began investigating after receiving a confidential student maltreatment report on Feb. 25, 2026. Investigators reviewed an email Wurtzberger sent on the day of the incident, where she wrote that the student threatened himself with an object, and that while she was taking it away, he hit his back on her knee and complained of pain.
A form completed by Wurtzberger described holding the student’s arms crossed in front of his shoulders, pulling them toward his back and placing her knee into his back while he lay on his side. The form also noted the physical hold was not used to protect anyone from injury. Investigators confirmed Wurtzberger was not certified in Crisis Prevention Intervention at the time, having failed the training earlier in the school year.
The complaint states the student told investigators, with the help of an interpreter, that Wurtzberger grabbed his shirt, pulled him back, and lowered him to the ground, causing his back to hit her knee. He said it hurt and made him feel scared. A paraprofessional, Witness 1, said the boy became upset, threw items, and held an object he threatened to eat. Witness 1 described Wurtzberger forcefully grabbing the boy’s wrist and prying his fingers open to remove the object. After the boy moved to another table and threw a hand sanitizer bottle, Witness 1 said Wurtzberger grabbed him by the shirt collar and arm and threw him to the ground, placing her knee in his back while he was face down.
The complaint states the boy screamed that his back hurt, and Witness 1 intervened, telling Wurtzberger to let go. Witness 1 said the boy was not trying to hurt anyone and did not need to be held down, and described Wurtzberger’s actions as intentional, aggressive, and not a reasonable use of force.
The complaint states another paraprofessional, Witness 2, said she saw Wurtzberger forcefully grab the boy’s wrist. Witness 2 looked away, heard a loud thud and saw the boy crying on the floor in the fetal position. She saw Wurtzberger grab the back of his shirt collar and pull him back before he hit the ground. The boy repeatedly cried, "why did she hurt me" and "my back hurts." Witness 2 said the force looked aggressive and appeared to be out of frustration, and that the boy was not being violent and did not need to be physically taken to the ground.
Wurtzberger declines statement
The other side:
The complaint states investigators contacted Wurtzberger, but she declined to provide a statement without legal representation. The charge of malicious punishment of a child is a gross misdemeanor, with a maximum penalty of 364 days in jail, a $3,000 fine, or both.
What's next:
Wurtzberger has been summoned to appear in court. If she does not appear, a warrant will be issued for her arrest. She may face additional charges if she intentionally fails to appear.
What we don't know:
The student’s current condition and whether the school or district has taken disciplinary action against Wurtzberger have not been disclosed.
The Source: Information from the Brown County District Court complaint and New Ulm Police Department.