Mom of 8-year-old allegedly put in chokehold by CPS worker hopes lawsuit, speaking out will protect other kids
By Tara Molina
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CHICAGO (WBBM) — The mother of an 8-year-old boy who was allegedly put in a chokehold and dragged by the neck by a Chicago Public Schools employee hopes her lawsuit and choice to speak out will help protect children in the future.
Prosecutors have charged Tamika Odeh, 44, a former special education assistant at Parker Elementary in Englewood with aggravated battery. She no longer works for the school or for CPS.
But the boy’s mom said more needs to be done.
“She could have really killed my son,” Tangi Reynolds said. “He didn’t do anything to cause this. He’s just a child. An 8-year-old child. He’s a great kid and a great student.”
In an effort to protect the boy’s identity, CBS News Chicago is not reporting his name or showing his face. His mother said he suffered a ligament injury to his C2 cervical spine, which doctors told her is considered a very serious injury.
Reynolds said her son was an all-A honor roll student with no prior incidents with teachers. She shared photos of the neck brace she said he had to wear for two months after the incident, which happened during breakfast before school had started for the day in November 2025.
“She put him in a chokehold. She dragged him by the neck. And she slammed him to the floor, and his head hit a chair,” Reynolds said. “My son said he went unconscious and when he came to, staff members were above him asking his name and how many fingers he was holding up. And then they sent him back to class.”
She said his 7-year-old brother saw the whole thing and was also sent back to class.
“They did not notify the Chicago Police Department. They did not notify the Department of Children Services,” she said.
Reynolds said the school didn’t even tell her about the incident until the next day and, according to the lawsuit, “despite being placed in a chokehold, losing consciousness and striking the ground, no medical assistance was offered.”
And what incited this incident?
“This all happened over a bag of chips,” Reynolds said. “She confiscated his chips and he attempted to retrieve them back from her.”
The incident report from the school is minimal, but CBS News Chicago found it details exactly what Reynolds says happened, including noting that her son didn’t put his hands on the employee. She said those are the only details she’s received.
“Still to this day they never told me what happened to my son,” she said.
Odeh was arrested and charged with aggravated battery of a child. A CPS spokesperson said Odeh was “removed from duty” after the incident.
The 8-year-old had only been a student at Parker Elementary for less than a year when the incident happened, after moving to the city from the western suburbs. Now in a new CPS school and still getting medical treatment, Reynolds said his injuries were so severe that he still can’t run, jump, play or go to gym class. She said the injury caused him to lose range of motion in his neck, so now he undergoes physical therapy.
“He’s a great kid. He’s very respectful. He’s very active. Well he was active. He loves soccer. He loves Messi. He loves art. He’s a great artist,” Reynolds said.
“So he basically can’t do anything he could do before,” his mother said. “It’s heartbreaking, especially when the doctor told us last week it could stay like that for the rest of the year.”
Reynold said she wants to see change in Chicago Public Schools for children moving forward.
A spokesperson for CPS said they remain committed to student safety and can’t comment on pending litigation, writing in a statement, “Chicago Public Schools (CPS) remains committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of its students. In accordance with District policy, CPS does not comment on pending litigation.”
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