A woman has been arrested in Tennessee after allegedly attacking a child with a lunchbox, according to law enforcement in the Volunteer State.
Jennifer Reynolds, 54, stands accused of aggravated child abuse, according to the Henry County Sheriff’s Department.
The incident occurred on Oct. 6 at Rhea Elementary School in Paris, a small town some 60 miles west of Clarksville. Authorities said Reynolds allegedly used a hard lunchbox to hit a 5-year-old on the right side of the student’s face.
The student’s parents said they were notified immediately afterward, according to Jackson-based affiliate WBBJ. They said that following the alleged violence, Reynolds was escorted off campus and the student was taken to the school nurse.
“The school has seemed to be right on top of everything, so as far as him returning back to Rhea, we do feel comfortable with that,” the student’s mother told the TV station. “We will no longer be using that ABA company moving forward.”
An ABA therapist is a professional who uses Applied Behavior Analysis and works one-on-one with individuals, typically children, who have special needs, such as those on the autism spectrum, to help them build skills for life. The defendant has been identified as an ABA therapist who appears to have been assigned to the student she allegedly hit with the lunchbox.
The mother explained to WBBJ why her child needed such a therapist. “Just to help him at school, somebody to be on his side and to help him with any behaviors or anxiety he might have during the day,” she said.
Reynolds was arrested two days after the alleged attack. She quickly posted bond and was released hours after she was booked. The defendant is next scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 20.
As with any criminal case, Reynolds is accused of the charge and the allegations have yet to be tested in court.