A former Texas educational aide has been arrested after allegedly swinging a preschool student upside down by the child’s feet and insulting the young girl during an incident inside a classroom, according to police and court records.
Rachel Ann Kirspel, 37, was charged with injury to a child following the alleged incident at Marshall Early Childhood Center in Marshall, Texas. Authorities say the incident occurred on May 14 and involved a student believed to be between 3 and 4 years old.
According to an affidavit obtained by local media outlets, a school employee witnessed Kirspel allegedly telling the child, “You are ugly as hell,” and “You can tell your mama didn’t raise you right,” before grabbing the student by the feet and swinging the child upside down.
Witnesses said the child’s head struck the floor during the incident.
The witness reportedly intervened immediately, yelling at Kirspel to put the child down and leave the room.
Investigators later interviewed the child, who allegedly said her arm and head hurt and that she no longer felt safe returning to school.
Court documents state Kirspel claimed the student had been disruptive during nap time and refused to cooperate.
She allegedly admitted to picking the child up and holding the student upside down after other disciplinary efforts failed.
Marshall Independent School District said the aide was immediately removed from campus and later terminated following an internal investigation. Superintendent Richele Langley said the district also referred the matter to Child Protective Services and the Texas Education Agency.
“Employee actions like those alleged will not be tolerated,” Langley said in a public statement.
The child’s mother later spoke publicly about the incident, saying her daughter was traumatized and injured by someone entrusted with caring for children.
Kirspel was booked into the Harrison County Jail following her arrest. The investigation remains ongoing.
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