Sadly, this is not just something out of dystopian fiction. This actually happened.

Florida State Rep. Randy Fine's description of this despicable and detestable incident of child abuse at Ocean Breeze Elementary School in Brevard County is absolutely horrifying.

"When she got off the school bus, she was wearing a mask ... But it wasn't enough that she was wearing a mask because she's a special need non-verbal Down syndrome child, who, by the way, three weeks earlier, the school district had called the parents and said your daughter is taking her shoes off in school could you help us to make sure she keeps her shoes on. They were willing to call about that."

"When her father saw her get off the school bus she was wearing a mask and it was tied around her head with nylon rope. The mask was full of saliva. The girl couldn't breathe. Father's furious."

"So, he went to the school, and he talked to the school and he found out they didn't do it that day. They had tied this mask around her face every single day for the previous six weeks that she was in school. They just forgot to take it off that day before they sent her home."

"So, when the parent said, 'What on earth were you thinking?' to the teacher and to the principal, their answer was, 'The school board told us that our students all had to wear masks.'"

"There's a special place in hell for the three people who did this to this girl. This girl experienced real child abuse at hands of the Brevard County school board."

Jennifer "Karen" Jenkins, one of the school board members, responded to Fine's rather strong words.

"To watch a state rep say there's a special place in hell for me on television is disturbing," Jenkins said.

OH, I'M SORRY! THAT'S DISTURBING? PERSONALLY, I'M MORE DISTURBED BY TYING A MASK AROUND A HELPLESS LITTLE CHILD'S FACE FOR SIX FREAKING WEEKS! 😡🤬

Here's what the dad had to say and I can only imagine the fury.

"I was so angry so I waited four days from Thursday 7th to Tuesday after Columbus Day because I really need to calm down," said Jeff Steel, the father. "When this child got off the bus and had the mask it was tied around the back of her head underneath her ponytail and it was quite tight around her face."

"Medically, she could aspirate, she could asphyxiate -- all sorts of medical things that could happen -- and because of her breathing, because of her enlarged tongue could cause seizures," Steele said.

"Why in the world, since the mandate happened back in September and you were going to begin to put this on my child then tie it on my child, would you never pick up the phone and call me and ask me to give me my informed consent?"

Brevard Public Schools released a statement on the incident:

"The student was given a mask exemption as soon as the parents made the request to school leadership. The school district is investigating the allegations made by the family. BPS strives to ensure each student has the best educational experience possible and will continue in that effort."

Brevard Public School also changed its mask policy to have a parental opt-out, instead of only allowing medical exemptions.

In a matter of days, COVID-19 magically switched from being so deadly that you must tie a mask around your head, to something of which you can opt out. Amazing.

It really makes you wonder if the policy was ever for the health of the kids in the first place.