New York teacher arrested after illegally giving COVID-19 vaccine to teen

Nassau County Police Department said that 54-year-old Laura Parker Russo of Sea Cliff, New York, was arrested after she "administered an injection of what is believed to be a Covid Vaccine to a 17-year-old male victim."

The teen went home and told his mother what had happened. The mother had not given permission for the injection to occur, and subsequently called the police.

After an investigation into the incident, it was discovered Russo was not a medical professional, nor was she authorized to administer vaccines.

Russo was arrested and charged with New York State Education Law Unauthorized Practice of a Profession, according to police.

She was released and was ordered to appear in court on Jan. 21.

Russo is a science teacher at Herricks Public Schools in New Hyde Park. In a statement given to NBC 4, they said that she has been reassigned pending the results of the investigation.

"The individual in question is a district employee who has been removed from the classroom and reassigned pending the outcome of the investigation," the district said.

Russo's son had a friend over who asked her for the vaccine because his mother did not want him to get it, officials said. Police were notified after the teen left Russo's home and told his mother about the jab, police told the New York Post.