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Charlotte County - The state is investigating a Lee County Golden Apple finalist following allegations of abuse to a special needs student. Back in 2005, a witness claims Catherine Hile punched a special needs student several times when she taught at Charlotte Harbor School in Port Charlotte. Hile denies the allegations according to her personnel file. The Department of Education is looking into the claims.

The Lee County Foundation for Public Schools dropped her from the process once learning about the pending investigation. She resigned from the Charlotte County School District in 2006, Hile was then hired by the De Soto County School District and was let go before getting a job at Gulf Elementary in Cape Coral, where she’s currently a special needs teacher. We went to Hile’s home to get her side but she wasn’t there to comment.