CHESAPEAKE, Va. – Chesapeake mothers Yolanda Myrick and Elizabeth Leemon say what happened inside their children's classroom several weeks ago is disturbing.
Myrick and Leemon say they recently found out their 11-year-old daughters, best friends Christina and Milan, were allegedly abused by their teacher at Grassfield Elementary School.
“I feel hurt. I feel betrayed. I feel angry,” said Myrick, Milan’s mother. “I feel sad and I feel lost. It’s a nightmare.”
The children’s teacher is on administrative leave.
Leemon, the mother of Christina Moore, said the whole ordeal has been traumatizing.
“Devastated. Hurt,” Leemon said. “I feel betrayed. I’m lost. I’m in a fog right now. I was still sending my child to school every day thinking she was safe.”
Leemon said she found out about the disturbing accusations from the school’s principal one day ago, on Tuesday.
“I was told the teacher had a spray bottle of water she would keep in the car, and she would spray these kids in face with the water bottle when they got too excited,” Leemon said, wiping away tears. “She told me the teacher would squeeze my daughter’s mouth and scream in her face.”
Myrick said a staff member broke the news to her about a week ago on the last day of school, claiming she witnessed the abuse.
Both girls are nonverbal, unable to tell their parents.
“Nightmare, complete nightmare for children that cannot speak for themselves,” Myrick said. “Biggest fear come true.”
Chesapeake Public Schools Spokesman Dr. Chris Vail sent a statement Tuesday:
On May 27, 2022, school administrators received a report of alleged abuse from a teacher towards three students. The teacher in question was immediately placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation and a report to Child Protective Services was made. This remains an ongoing investigation and we are unable to provide additional comment as a result. Further action will be considered as appropriate.
In the meantime, as the two mothers lean on one another for support, they say they want the teacher, school and everyone else involved to be held accountable.
“We have a right to know,” Leemon said. “They're supposed be these kids’ voices while they’re in school because they can't talk, and they failed to do that.”
News 3 reached out to CPS, but because of confidentiality they say they cannot give us any information.
We also reached out to Chesapeake Police. They told us they currently don’t have an active police report on this case.
Leemon told News 3 Thursday night that she officially pressed charges against the teacher, filing charges of assault and battery.
News 3 is not naming the teacher at this time.
