SANFORD, Fla. -- Teacher's aides at a Central Florida middle school say they complained several times over five years that a special needs teacher was abusing autistic students.

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Woman Reportedly Tortures 'Special Needs' Students

The four aides told John Byerly, a Seminole County school district investigator, that they saw incidents of abuse and reported several to administrators at South Seminole Middle School.

But the aides said their complaints about veteran teacher Kathleen Garrett.

The 48-year-old Garrett has pleaded not guilty to five counts of child abuse, for which she faces up to 75 years in prison if convicted. She was arrested in November.

The charges against Garrett include breaking one student's teeth, locking another in a dark closet, and abusing three others by hitting them, bending back their fingers and jabbing them with her elbows.

Garrett resigned from her position at South Seminole Middle School after she was arrested in connection with the accusations. Since then, Garrett has reportedly received death threats and threatening letters, Local 6 News reported.

Garrett's charges carry a maximum of 75 years in prison.

A March 2 trial date has been set.

Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.