CHARGES: Court Document Listing Formal Charges (PDF file)
SCHOOL REPORT: Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 (all PDF files)
ARREST REPORT: Kathy Garrett Arrest Report (PDF file)
LETTER: Teachers' Union Responds To Parent Who Complained (PDF file)

SANFORD, Fla. -- The Seminole County schoolteacher accused of abusing autistic students had her first day in court Tuesday, but didn't show up. Kathy Garrett, 48, is now facing 75 years in prison for alleged abuse at South Seminole Middle School.

The case against the former teacher is now set for trial. She didn't show up in a jailhouse courtroom, but her attorney did respond to the charges against her.

Garrett has still not shown her face in public, even Tuesday as a judge received a written plea of not guilty from her attorney.

Garrett waived her arraignment and a trial date has been set for March 2 on five counts of child abuse; two counts are aggravated abuse and one includes willful torture accusations against Annie Baez's son, Alex.

Tuesday, Baez spoke to Channel 9 by telephone. "She probably thought she was gonna be able to go on with this torturing and all of these things she was doing to these children. But she got caught and she's got to pay for what she did"

When Garrett was arrested in November, she faced nine aggravated child abuse charges. But Tuesday, prosecutors only proceeded with charges involving five children. It's a move that troubles some parents.

"Even if she got the max of 75 years, with the time you really serve and plea bargaining, and what that's gonna cut it down to? So I'm not excited about that. I want to see more charges," says parent Carol Goings.

According to the Casselberry Police Department and the State Attorney's Office, there is the possibility of more felony charges against Garrett. Right now, though, they say they're ready to proceed on these charges while they continue to investigate other charges.

Garrett's attorney has not returned phone calls to Channel 9.