Updated

A Connecticut kindergarten teacher accused of forcing a 5-year-old student to eat food from a garbage can in her Bridgeport classroom has had criminal charges against her dropped.

The case against 67-year-old Anne O'Donnell of Fairfield was dismissed Tuesday after state prosecutor Donal Collimore told the judge he didn't believe he could prove the case.

O'Donnell was charged with risk of injury to a minor in March. Police say she was upset that the boy threw out most of his hot lunch, and she made him eat chicken nuggets and a banana from the garbage can.

The boy's mother objected to the dismissal of the case, saying she promised her son she would fight for him.

O'Donnell declined to comment after the court hearing. Her lawyer says she retired in June.