NEW: RI Teacher Arrested on Felony Charges for Alleged Abuse of Special Needs Students

NEW: RI Teacher Arrested on Felony Charges for Alleged Abuse of Special Needs Students

A 39-year-old Rhode Island teacher has been arrested on multiple felony charges. 

The Cumberland Police Department on Wednesday announced that now-former Blackstone Valley Prep (BVP) teacher Djamila Vaz Rosa is being charged with three counts of 2nd degree child abuse - involving special needs students. 

According to police, on February 11, 2026, they responded to Blackstone Valley Prep for the report of a teacher who was alleged to have assaulted two separate special-needs students by slapping them in the head while at the elementary school located at 52 Broad Street. 

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Police say the school was alerted to this conduct late in the afternoon on the previous day and contacted the police department first thing in the morning of the 11th. 

While investigating these complaints, police say a third victim’s family responded to police headquarters to report an additional similar incident with the same suspected teacher. 

Arrest Made

Police say that after “thoroughly investigating the allegations and with the assistance of the Aubin Child Protection Center,” an arrest warrant was drafted and signed for 39-year-old Vaz Roza of Pawtucket for three counts of second-degree child abuse - all felonies.

Vaz Rosa turned herself in to the Cumberland Police on Wednesday and was arraigned before a justice of the peace and later released; police noted that Vaz Rosa has no prior criminal history.

“Students should feel safe in schools in classrooms with those entrusted with caring for and educating them. In this circumstance, that was not the case. I appreciate the staff at Blackstone Valley Prep for alerting us when they did so we could immediately begin our investigation and ultimately hold this individual accountable for their alleged conduct,” said Cumberland Police Chief Matthew Benson. “Such behavior should never be tolerated with any teacher, let alone one in the classroom with such vulnerable students.”

Blackstone Valley on Wednesday released the following statement:

“Earlier this year on February 10th, at approximately 2:30pm, administrators at Blackstone Valley Prep (BVP) became aware of an incident where there were allegations that a teacher – Ms. Djamila Vaz Rosa - had assaulted students within BVP’s Transitional Learning Center by slapping them in the head.

Vaz Rosa was immediately placed on administrative leave that day and was terminated the following morning on February 11th.  BVP administrators took immediate steps to notify the Cumberland Police Department and have cooperated fully with their investigation.  Today we have been notified by the Cumberland Police Department that Vaz Rosa has been arrested and charged with three counts of 2nd degree child abuse. The staff and leadership team at BVP thanks the Cumberland Police Department for their swift and thorough investigation into this matter.

Vaz Rosa completed a full background check prior to her hiring. She became an employee on November 18, 2025 and served less than three months at BVP. Additionally, BVP administrators notified both the Rhode Island Department of Education and the Department of Youth, Children and Families when this incident occurred.

Superintendent Sarah Anderson said, ‘At Blackstone Valley Prep, we hold our employees to the highest standards of professionalism and conduct and we are devastated this incident took place within our community and impacted our young scholars.’”