PASSAIC — A 13-year-old boy has been charged with assaulting the mother of a classmate he had been taunting at school.

The woman stepped in front of her son as the boy approached him last Wednesday on Lexington Avenue and struck her with such force in the face that she lost consciousness when she hit the sidewalk, prosecutors said Tuesday.

The woman was treated for broken face bones and a concussion.

The mother's lawyer, Daniel Santiago, identified his client to NBC 4 New York and as Beronica Ruiz, 35.

Santiago told NJ.com that Ruiz went to an assistant principal at the Gifted and Talented Academy after three students led chants of "go back to Mexico" in the cafeteria, which prompted the confrontation on the street.

Santiago told the North Jersey Record he considers the incident a hate crime.

The 13-year-old was charged with aggravated assault and simple assault and was released to his parents.

Mayor Hector Lora said he was "outraged" and called the incident as "unacceptable" behavior in his city."

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ

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