Teen Left with Third-Degree Burns After School Security Pins Her on Scorching Metal Plate

A 14-year-old California high school student was hospitalized with serious burns after she says school security officers pinned her against a scorching metal utility plate while restraining her after a fight.

Bridgette Chocoteco, a freshman at Bakersfield High School, suffered second- and third-degree burns during the Aug. 25 incident and is still being treated for her injuries.

According to Chocoteco, the confrontation began after she got into an altercation with a male student.

She said a teacher grabbed her arm twice afterward. Chocoteco told the teacher to let go, and when the teacher allegedly refused, the teen said she reacted and struck the teacher.

School security officers then rushed in.

Chocoteco alleges that one of the guards punched her in the face before she was forced face-down onto a metal utility plate that had been sitting in roughly 100-degree heat.

The plate reportedly carried an “electric high voltage” warning.

Chocoteco said she immediately began screaming that the metal was burning her, but claims the guards continued holding her down.

“I was screaming that I was burning and they just kind of held me even harder,” she told KGET 17 News.

She also alleged that one of the guards told her, “That’s what you get.”

The teen suffered painful burns and blisters on her stomach and thighs.

Chocoteco acknowledged that she should not have struck the teacher, but said that did not justify what happened next.

“I know my actions weren’t right, but that doesn’t excuse theirs,” she said.

Her mother, Kristian Chocoteco, has called the incident child abuse and demanded that the security officers involved be held accountable.

“I want all of the security guards to go to jail,” she said.

She said she was especially disturbed by the allegation that adults continued restraining her daughter even while the teen was screaming that she was being burned.

The incident quickly sparked outrage among students at Bakersfield High School.

On Aug. 31, students organized a protest and walkout in support of Chocoteco, calling for accountability and criticizing what they described as excessive force.

One student said adults should have known they did not need to use that level of force to restrain a child.

The Kern High School District confirmed that it is aware of the incident and has opened an investigation.

“The matter is currently being investigated,” the district said in a statement. “The District is unable to comment further on personnel matters.”

As of now, the school district has not publicly announced whether any employees have been disciplined or removed from duty.

Chocoteco remains focused on recovering from the burns while her family and classmates continue pressing the district for answers.