Achieve Center employee accused of child abuse asked teacher to lie about victim being in a fight: Police

An instructional assistant at the Achieve Center in New Port Richey has been arrested on allegations of child abuse. 

What we know:

According to the New Port Richey Police Department, the administration at Achieve Center called the agency to investigate a child abuse complaint that occurred at the campus located at 6915 Madison Street in New Port Richey.  

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Investigators say Allan Craig, an instructional assistant at the Achieve Center, assaulted an 8-year-old boy. 

Allan Craig mugshot courtesy of the Pasco County Sheriff's Office.

Allan Craig mugshot courtesy of the Pasco County Sheriff's Office. 

Police say witnesses told them that Craig pulled the child out from underneath a table, threw him to the ground, and pushed him up against a wooden cabinet before taking him to another room.

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In that other room, officers say the victim was seen with a bloody nose. 

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The victim also told investigators that Craig had choked him earlier that morning on the bus. 

Dig deeper:

Police say Craig also sent a text message to a teacher, asking them to falsely claim that the victim had been involved in a fight with another child at the school.

Craig was arrested and charged with felony child abuse and tampering with a witness. 

What we don't know:

Police have not said what led to the alleged incident. 

What is the Achieve Center?

According to its website, the Achieve Center serves children in grades K-5 who have significant emotional/behavioral challenges. 

The Source: This story was written with information from the New Port Richey Police Department. 

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