Girl Faces Felony Cost for Allegedly Punching Elementary College Principal

A sideline altercation at an elementary faculty basketball recreation in Louisiana final week ended with two girls in jail and one within the hospital.

On Monday, Jan. 13, the principal of Iberville Elementary College — positioned in Plaquemine, a metropolis in Iberville Parish — was watching college students play basketball after faculty hours when she noticed two young children wandering onto the court docket, in line with native outlet WAFB.

To maintain the youngsters out of hurt’s method, the principal moved from her nook spot within the faculty gymnasium and moved them away from the energetic recreation — an motion she repeated a minimum of twice, in line with the outlet, which obtained surveillance footage of the incident. 

In a clip of one of many cases, the principal might be seen lifting a younger pupil up and away from the court docket whereas guiding the opposite to do the identical.

Persevering with her efforts to maintain the youngsters away from the motion, she flagged a mother strolling by who had “three children in tow,” in addition to a good friend together with her, Plaquemine Police Chief Stephen Engolio advised WAFB.

The principal then instructed the mother, whom police have since been recognized as Alessia Parker, to “preserve [her] children off the basketball court docket” as a result of “it disrupts the entire recreation,” the police chief stated. Parker, 33, “clearly took offense with that,” Engolio advised WAFB, foreshadowing her response, which was caught on the surveillance footage.

Within the courtside footage, the mother — who was holding one baby’s hand and had one other child on her hip — turns into visibly upset, stepping ahead and transferring very near the principal. The principal then places a hand up and on Parker, who then instantly seems to hit the educator within the head.

“The [principal] places her hand as much as type of preserve her off her and [Parker] simply punched her, knocked her out of her chair,” Engolio stated of the altercation.

A deputy with the Iberville Sheriff’s Division was on the recreation and stepped in instantly to interrupt issues up between the 2 girls, per WAFB. However Parker’s punch left a mark on the principal.

Police stated she suffered a “busted lip” and head damage and was taken to the hospital, per WAFB. She was in a position to return to work the next day, in line with one other Louisiana outlet, WBRZ.

“She’s okay now,” Engolio stated of the educator, “nevertheless it was a reasonably brutal assault.”

Parker turned herself within the subsequent day, and Plaquemine Police arrested her and charged her with resisting officers, disturbing the peace and battery of a college trainer, which is a felony, in line with WAFB and the Plaquemine Put up South.

Plaquemine Police and the Iberville Sheriff’s Division didn’t instantly reply to PEOPLE’s request for touch upon Sunday, Jan. 19.

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One other lady who was allegedly concerned within the incident, Jemecia Godchaux, was additionally arrested, the Plaquemine Put up South reported.

Referring to her as Parker’s “cohort,” Engolio alleged to WAFB that Godchaux, 37, was “type of egging it on, made some threats and was cussing individuals out, too.” The outlet didn’t launch footage of Godchaux’s involvement within the battle.

Godchaux was booked, and police stated she additionally had a minimum of one different pending bench warrant, in line with the Plaquemine Put up South and WBRZ.

In a press release to each shops, Iberville Parish College Board Superintendent Dr. Louis Voiron stated that the Louisiana faculty system “wouldn’t tolerate the kind of habits” that Parker and Godchaux exhibited on the basketball recreation.

Each girls have been “banned” from all faculties within the system, the superintendent added.