Police in Smyrna, Del. are investigating after three school workers at an elementary school were accused of, what officials called "an alleged pattern of troubling behavior," that, officials claim, included yelling at special needs students, throwing things at them and calling them names.
On Wednesday, Nov. 7, officials announced the arrests of Marrisa Johnson, 26, Makayla Lomax, 31, both of Smyrna, Del., and Morgan Donahue, 21, of Clayton, Del., who have all been charged with endangering the welfare of a child after being accused of a number of incident involving students in an special needs elementary classroom in the Smyrna School District.
In at least one instance, police claim Lomax struck a student in the face and sprayed them with water "as a form of discipline."
Among other claims, officials said, the women are accused of throwing objects at students, yelling at them and calling them names. And, officials said, both Johnson and Donahue have been accused of feeding hot sauce or spicy chips to a student that had a known digestive disorder.
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In a statement on the arrests, officials with the Smyrna School District said that an investigation into the women's alleged activities began back in February.
"We have worked diligently with our law enforcement partners throughout the investigation. The community and school system have been patiently waiting the conclusion of those extraordinary efforts," school officials said in a statement. "We appreciate the diligence and thoroughness of law enforcement in bringing closure to this troubling matter."
The district's statement noted that "most" of the individuals involved in this case are no longer working for the district.
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"With regard to the remaining employees, the District will honor employee privacy rights with regard to separation of employment, and we will make our reports to the Department of Education’s Division of Licensure and Certification," school district officials said in a statement.
An investigation in this case is ongoing, officials said.
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