Former San Jose School Teacher Charged with Coughing in Child’s Face
Originally published as a Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office press release –
“A 66-year-old San Jose woman has been charged with assault after she intentionally coughed into a one-year-old baby’s face.
Nancy Nordland, who worked as an elementary school teacher, fled after the incident in line at a local Yogurtland. She was later identified by the public who recognized her from a released surveillance video.
Nordland will be arraigned on the misdemeanor on Tuesday, April 27th at 9:00 a.m. in Department 52 of the Hall of Justice in San Jose.
“All of us must practice empathy and patience as we work together through this pandemic,” DA Jeff Rosen said. “Taking your frustrations out on someone’s child is unacceptable – and criminal.”
On June 12, 2020, Nordland got into an argument with a woman while waiting in line at a Yogurtland in San Jose. The defendant did not like how close the woman was standing to her. Following that disagreement, the defendant removed her mask, bent over the infant’s stroller and coughed three times directly in the infant’s face.
Shocked employees and customers inside the Yogurtland confronted her. The defendant fled the scene and left without paying. Responding officers were unable to locate the defendant anywhere in the vicinity. The police then turned to the community for help, by releasing surveillance video of the incident to the news.
Within a day of the release of the surveillance footage the police obtained nearly a dozen tips from various members of the community, all identifying the defendant as an elementary school teacher at Alex Anderson Elementary School in San Jose.
The principal of her school confirmed to police that Nordland was at work in San Jose on the date of the incident.”
