ORLANDO, Fla. -- A special needs teacher at a Casselberry middle school was arrested Wednesday, accused of beating and humiliating her autistic students.

Kathleen Mary Garrett, 48, of Casselberry, faces nine counts of aggravated child abuse. She was released from the Seminole County Jail on a $7,000 bail Wednesday night.

Garrett, who teaches at South Seminole Middle School, "intentionally and repeatedly threatened, battered and tortured these victims in front of their peers," according to the arrest affidavit written by Casselberry police investigator James Goodman.

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Witnesses reported seeing Garrett, who is 6 feet tall and 300 pounds, pin a student to his desk with her body, push a student's face in vomit after he threw up and slam a child's head on a desk so forcefully that two teeth fell out, the affidavit said.

Witnesses also said Garrett would take children into a bathroom and close the door.

"Although they could not see what was going on, they could hear furniture being slammed around and children screaming," Goodman wrote. He did not release the identity of the witnesses.

Garrett has worked at the school for four years, but the school district says she's been teaching mentally handicapped children in the district for 24 years, working at five different Seminole County schools and instructing disabled students at home.

Police said they received the first complaint about her on Oct. 25, but are investigating when the alleged abusive behavior began, said Lt. Dennis Stewart.

School officials said the state Department of Children & Families was contacted about the problem, and Garrett was suspended with pay. Garrett is still on paid suspension, but could be fired at any upcoming school board meeting, which could be as soon as Tuesday.

Garrett's personnel file showed no indication of trouble, although Channel 9 has talked to at least two parents who say they presented written complaints about her four years ago. Those complaints were not in her file.