E. Longmeadow superintendent under fire

EAST LONGMEADOW, Mass. (WWLP) - East Longmeadow Superintendent Dr. Ed Costa will face a judge later this month after an alleged incident with a special needs student.

He is accused of advising a fifth grade student at Mountain View Elementary School to walk home in May 2009.

According to East Longmeadow Police Detective Patrick Manley, the child walked about ¾ of a mile down Hampden Road, when a parent spotted him and drove him home.

The child’s parents filed a criminal complaint with the East Longmeadow Police, which determined they had insufficient evidence to charge Costa. Detective Manley told 22News police later determined that Dr. Costa falsified documents to cover up the incident.

The parents later requested a show cause hearing at Palmer District Court, which ruled there was enough evidence to charge Costa with reckless injury to a child on Thursday. An arraignment is scheduled for November 19.

Dr. Costa will be leaving his post on December 1, 2009 after 12 years on the job.

Just last week 22News asked Dr. Costa about his depature from the East Longmeadow School system. This is what he had to say: "It's very mutual. It's very amicable. But yes we have reached a mututal decision that I will be leaving East Longmeadow."