Overview
- Randi Nicole Staples, 44, a second-grade teacher in Mobile, Alabama, was arrested Wednesday on a charge of felony willful abuse, booked into Mobile Metro Jail, and released on a $7,500 bond.
- Sheriff Paul Burch said the clip appears to show roughly 22 strikes in about 14 seconds with a belt or strap, followed by the child being lifted by his hair while she cursed at him.
- Staples was taken into custody at the school and is due in court Friday for a formal bond hearing, according to local reports.
- Cottage Hill Christian Academy fired Staples after law enforcement findings, noting the conduct occurred outside her school duties; the school had recognized her as Teacher of the Year in May and later removed related posts.
- The Department of Human Resources placed the children with a family member as the sheriff’s office conducts interviews and signals more evidence may emerge.