RACINE - Belinda Lee thought she might get a chance to face the woman accused of slapping her autistic son.

Lee waited in the lobby of the crowded Racine County Law Enforcement Center Friday morning, where Rebecca Pranghofer, a former special education teacher, was to appear.

Pranghofer was charged with two counts of violating the state's rule against corporal punishment.

Lee, whose 12-year-old son Christopher was a Racine Unified student, wanted to see the woman who allegedly held her son down on the floor of a restaurant and also later slapped him in the face during a field trip to Downtown Racine in June.

Pranghofer never showed up. An assistant Racine County district attorney was there. A school district official was there. Lee arrived early.

She was upset at the turn of events, but not entirely surprised.

"I just wanted to show her that I'm not going to back down. I'm standing up for my son," Lee said. "This just shows that she's guilty. They're going to find her guilty."

Randy Schneider, an assistant district attorney, said the fact that Pranghofer did not appear counted as forfeiture.

Unless she decides to challenge it, Pranghofer will be required to pay the amount of the two tickets, $200 each, plus any additional costs.

She does not face any jail time for the charges.

Lee wasn't happy with the case the DA's office was able to bring against Pranghofer.

Schneider said that, based on the evidence, that is all his office was able to charge Pranghofer with.

The district attorney's office charged her after local investigators questioned teachers, who said they witnessed Pranghofer slap Lee's son across the face with an open hand, according to a criminal complaint.

Witnesses told investigators that the slap appeared to leave a red mark on Christopher's face, according to the criminal complaint.

Racine Unified officials fired Pranghofer after conducting their own internal investigation and holding a due process hearing. The Racine Unified School Board approved the termination earlier this month.

Officials from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction started investigating Pranghofer this summer. The investigation is ongoing and could result in the state revoking Pranghofer's teaching license, a spokesman said earlier this week.

Pranghofer could not be reached for comment.