‘What type of person would do that?’ D.C. mother sues over hot sauce incident involving autistic son

Shanice Griggs is seeking damages from the former aide and the District of Columbia after her nonverbal son was subjected to the incident at Nalle Elementary School.

A D.C. mother is seeking accountability after a former school aide forced her 9-year-old, nonverbal autistic son to ingest hot sauce as a form of punishment.

Shanice Griggs has filed a civil lawsuit against former Nalle Elementary School aide Imani K. Davis and the District of Columbia, according to FOX 5 DC. The lawsuit accuses Davis and the District of assault and battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

The incident happened last year. According to a police report cited by FOX 5, Davis admitted to putting a finger coated with hot sauce into the child’s mouth as a disciplinary measure and reportedly said the boy “deserved it.”

Davis pleaded guilty to assault charges earlier this year and received community service as part of a plea agreement.

For Griggs, the consequences have extended beyond the incident itself.

“I was heartbroken,” she told FOX 5. “I’m hurt. I still am hurt.”

Griggs said her son, who once enjoyed preparing for school, now has a dramatically different reaction to it.

“He used to love getting on the bus,” she said. “Now he’s fighting.” She also said her son “panics” when he sees hot sauce and no longer wants to go to school. 

Griggs is seeking more than $500,000 in compensatory damages and $1 million in punitive damages against Davis, along with attorney’s fees, costs and interest. She is also requesting a jury trial.

Her attorney, Malik Shabazz, described the lawsuit as a call for the school system to examine how staff members working with students with disabilities are trained and supervised.

“This lawsuit here is a wakeup call to the District of Columbia and its school system,” Shabazz said. 

D.C. Public Schools said student safety is its priority but declined to comment on pending litigation. The district confirmed Davis is no longer employed by DCPS.

The case comes as Griggs continues to push for accountability and better protections for students with special needs.