Image Credit: Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office, Google Earth & Canva.
Article by Paula Gomes, Tennessee Conservative News –
An investigation into a special needs five-year-old being abused by an assistant teacher has led to an arrest in the case according to the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO).
Debbie Mays, employed at Ripley Primary School, was arrested on October 1st, 2026 on child abuse charges following a report of her alleged assault on the boy which left minor injuries on his face.
In the course of the LCSO’s investigation, deputies documented statements that Mays made to other school staff about the incident, as well as reports of the child’s injuries, and statements from witnesses.
When the child’s parents arrived at the school, they found their child to be agitated but were able to help him calm down.
County Sheriff Brian Kelley has stated that LCSO takes allegations involving the mistreatment or assault of a child seriously, even more so when the child involved in the case is vulnerable.
The victim’s parents have said that despite the assault, their son is ok.
Two years ago, The Tennessee Conservative reported that special needs students in Tennessee’s public schools are being mistreated and in many cases, not receiving an equitable education.
At least two autistic children in Clarksville-Montgomery County Schools, have been on the receiving end of inappropriate treatment in the classroom.
A six-year-old special needs boy returned home with marks on his body several times over the course of almost a year. Autistic, non-speaking, and legally blind, the boy also has triplegic spastic cerebral palsy and requires a g-tube to eat.
It took filing many complaints to the Department of Children’s Services (DCS) and several police reports in order to get the child transferred to a different elementary school.
Another autistic child had a teacher scream in his face, pull his hair, and cover his mouth during a meltdown that occurred in the school cafeteria.
Sources:
WREG.
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
