MADISON COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — An arrest citation reveals that a White Hall Elementary School paraeducator was arrested on Oct. 21 for alleged child abuse.
According to the citation, Richmond police were contacted by a parent who reported their "child had been assaulted by staff" at the elementary school on Oct. 16.
The citation states that Richmond police received "video that had been taken of the incident," which reportedly shows the child "unclothed and being pulled by her hair" inside the school's gym.
According to the citation, in the video, police identified Beverly Vanwinkle-Thompson as the person pulling the child's hair. Further, the citation notes that in a second video, the child is lying on the ground as Thompson is standing over her, in which "the child attempts to push away from her, but she smacks the child on the left leg."
The citation details that Thompson was detained at her home and taken to the Richmond Police Department for an interview.
As a result, Thompson was arrested and booked in the Madison County Detention Center and charged with second-degree criminal abuse of a child 12 or under and fourth-degree assault-child abuse.
LEX 18 has reached out to Madison County Schools, and they provided the following statement:
The district began an investigation regarding Ms. Thompson on Wednesday, Oct. 15. She was placed on leave on that same date, pending the outcome of the investigation. On Friday, Oct. 17, Ms. Thompson resigned her position in the district. The district reported findings to DCBS and from that point the district has cooperated fully with DCBS and Richmond Police Department.
