A 44‑year‑old Louisiana elementary‑school paraprofessional, Marsha Ernest, is accused of battering a 6‑year‑old seizure‑prone girl with special‑needs disabilities in an on‑camera classroom incident that has sparked outrage and renewed scrutiny of safety in special‑education classrooms. The alleged attack happened at E.E. Lyon Elementary School in Covington, about 40 miles north of New Orleans.
What she is accused of
Ernest was arrested and charged with one count of simple battery of the infirm, a higher‑level battery charge that applies when a victim is medically vulnerable or disabled. The child’s parents and the Covington Police Department say classroom video showed the incident and led directly to her arrest. The family has described the footage as showing Ernest throwing the girl into a chair and pinning her wrists to the desk, though authorities have not publicly released the full video or detailed the sequence of events.
How the incident came to light
The investigation began on March 12, when police responded to a call about an on‑campus incident at E.E. Lyon. The child’s mother said she first learned something was wrong when the teacher alerted her, then brought the concern to school administrators before police reviewed the video and contacted the family. That is when the parents decided to press charges.
In a joint statement, they said:
“You trust that when you send your child to school, they will be safe. That trust was broken … our daughter has epilepsy and is in special education. She depends on the adults around her for protection, care, and understanding. Instead, she was put in harm’s way.”
They also criticized the school’s response, saying appropriate action should have been taken immediately after the incident and arguing that “this cannot happen again — not to our child, not to anyone else’s.” The family has since removed the girl from the school.
Current status of the case
Deputy Police Chief Kevin Collins has confirmed only that a school employee was arrested in connection with an on‑campus incident and stressed that details are being withheld to protect the integrity of the investigation. The St. Tammany Parish School Board has acknowledged the case is ongoing but has not commented on Ernest’s employment status, citing personnel confidentiality.
Ernest was booked into the St. Tammany Parish jail, posted a $5,000 bond, and was released on March 16. She is scheduled for a court appearance on June 24 as the case moves through the legal system.
Her arrest comes just weeks after a new Louisiana law took effect requiring cameras in special‑education classrooms, additional staff training, and stricter limits on the use of physical restraint and solitary‑confinement‑style punishments for students with disabilities, highlighting how the case intersects with broader reforms aimed at protecting vulnerable children.
