CORINTH, Miss. (AP) — A former northeast Mississippi teaching assistant faces criminal charges accusing her of hitting a 9-year-old autistic boy.

The misdemeanor assault charge is filed with the Alcorn County Justice Court. It accuses 48-year-old Remonda Dale Ellis of striking the nonverbal boy twice with an open hand during a May 9 special education class.

The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reports that Ellis was arrested and released Wednesday. She could not be reached for comment.

Alcorn School District Superintendent Larry Mitchell says the alleged incident was blown out of proportion.

Mitchell says Ellis stopped being employed by the school district last week after 14 years of work there.