A Spalding County bus monitor — a woman tasked with keeping special needs students safe on their journeys to and from school — has been charged with child cruelty after allegedly striking two 8-year-olds with a rolled-up magazine.
Eloise Caldwell, 67, turned herself in on May 8, one day after Spalding County police issued warrants charging her with three counts of first-degree cruelty to children. According to Lt. Mike Natale, the charges stemmed from an afternoon bus ride on March 25.
Natale said that, during that ride, Caldwell struck one 8-year-old boy with an open hand and then “across the face” with a rolled-up magazine. A few minutes later, she allegedly hit another student, also an 8-year-old boy, with the magazine.
Neither student required medical attention.
Police believe the attacks were completely unprovoked.
“We can’t release the video because of the evidentiary value,” Spalding County police Lt. Mike Natale said, “but if you were to look at it you would plainly see that the children weren’t really doing anything that would warrant that.”
Griffin-Spalding County schools spokeswoman Judy Parker said Caldwell “chose to resign effective immediately” when confronted with the allegations, which were brought by a parent of one of the students.
“We take all allegations seriously and work to ensure that all children in our care are treated professionally by our staff,” Parker said.
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