Three Delaware educators charged in connection to abuse of special needs students

SMYRNA, DE- Three Delaware educators are facing criminal charges including neglect, child abuse, endangering the welfare of a child, and offensive touching after a lengthy investigation allegedly revealed "troubling behavior" taking place in a special needs class.

As reported by USA Today affiliate Delaware Online, paraeducator and substitute teacher Makayla Lomax, 31, elementary specialist, paraeducator and substitute teacher Marrisa Johnson, 26, and substitute teacher Morgan Donahue, 21, are facing charges in one instance for striking a student on the face and spraying them with a water bottle as punishment. In another fall 2022 incident, they're accused of forcing another special needs student with a known medically diagnosed digestive disability to ingest spicy snack foods and hot sauce. 
 

Three employees have been arrested for alleged abuse of special needs students at Smyrna Elementary School.

Left - 26-year-old Marrisa Johnson

Middle - 31-year-old Makayla Lomax

Right - 21-year-old Morgan Donahue

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Smyrna Police Lt. Brian M. Donner described the investigation in a statement to USA Today, "This long and detailed investigation, conducted in partnership with the [Delaware Department] of Justice and with the cooperation of the Smyrna School District, has revealed an alleged pattern of troubling behavior in a special needs elementary classroom."

The school district released a statement following the incident according to WPVI,
 

“In February 2024, the Smyrna School District reported alleged misconduct by Smyrna Elementary School staff to the Department of Family Services and the Smyrna Police Department. We have been working diligently with our law enforcement partners throughout the investigation. The community and school system have been examined as we patiently wait for this extraordinary effort to be completed. We appreciate the diligence and thoroughness of law enforcement in closing this disturbing case.

Since the district became aware of the alleged misconduct, appropriate staff members have not been in the presence of our students. Most of the people allegedly involved in this case no longer work for the District. For other employees, the District will honor employees’ privacy rights related to separation of employment, and we will submit our reports to the Department of Education’s Division of Licensing and Certification.

Student safety is of the utmost importance to the Smyrna School District. We will continue to evaluate and improve all aspects of school safety. We will also continue to support our school community during this difficult time.”

Specifically, Lomax was accused of punching a student in the face and also spraying him with a water bottle and is facing a third-degree child abuse charge, with offensive touching and nine counts of endangering the welfare of a child in connection with the hot sauce/spicy food incident. Johnson was charged in connection to the second incident with 10 counts of endangering the welfare of a child, and Donahue was charged with a single count in connection to the same incident.