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Woman who allegedly coughed on baby in social distancing dispute no longer works at San Jose school district

Police are investigating video of an alleged assault that occurred at a Yogurtland in San Jose, where a woman is seen coughing in the face of a baby, allegedly because the mother was not maintaining proper social distance. (San Jose Police Department)

A woman who allegedly coughed on a baby during a social distancing dispute no longer has her job with a California school district.

Oak Grove School District in San Jose announced over the weekend that the woman, whom it did not identify, was no longer an employee with the district.


“We want to inform our community that the District employee who was alleged to have engaged in this conduct is no longer an employee of our District,” the district said in a statement.

“The Oak Grove School District’s highest priority is the safety of our students and the well-being of all of the children in the community we serve. We do not tolerate conduct from any employee that compromises any child’s safety.”

It was not immediately clear whether the woman left her job or was fired.

The incident took place on June 12, when a white woman described as being in her 60s was standing in line for frozen yogurt in front of another woman and her child in a stroller, according to the San Jose Police Department.

Video showed the first woman coughing in the face of the baby because, police said, the mother was not maintaining proper social distance.

“The preliminary investigation revealed the suspect was upset the female was not maintaining proper social distancing so the suspect removed her face mask, got close to the baby’s face, and coughed two to three times,” police Sgt. Enrique Garcia said last month.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is recommending that people stay at least six feet — or two arms’ length — from others outside their household to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. The virus also spreads from air droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks, the agency says.

The San Jose Police Department has not named the woman suspected of coughing on the child because she has not been apprehended.

“We can’t release the names of suspects until there is a warrant for their arrest, they were booked into jail, or they were issued a criminal citation,” Garcia said last month. “We are not sharing additional information at this time. The investigation is ongoing and we are following up on tips.”

CNN has attempted to reach the baby’s mother and Yogurtland for comment.

Attempts to reach the San Jose Police Department Monday were unsuccessful.