John Jefferson
Insets from left: Marrisa Johnson, Makayla Lomax and Morgan Donahue (Smyrna Police Department). Background: Smyrna Elementary School (Google Maps).
Three Delaware elementary school teachers are facing felony charges after an investigation allegedly revealed they abused special needs students.
Police in Smyrna, which is about 15 miles north of Dover, began investigating in February when child abuse allegations surfaced at Smyrna Elementary School. A “long and detailed” probe in conjunction with the Delaware Department of Justice and the school district allegedly revealed a “pattern of troubling behavior in a special needs classroom,” Smyrna police said in a press release. Some of the allegations date back to 2022.
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One of the teachers, 31-year-old Makayla Lomax, allegedly struck a student in the face and also sprayed the student with a bottle of water “as a form of discipline.” She faces third-degree child abuse, nine counts of endangering the welfare of a child and offensive touching. Lomax was taken to jail on a $12,500 bond.
Detectives also uncovered an incident from two years ago in which 26-year-old Marissa Johnson and 21-year-old Morgan Donahue, reportedly fed a student hot Takis chips and hot sauce despite knowing that the student had a digestive disorder that makes it difficult to process spicy foods. Cops took Johnson to jail for 10 counts of endangering the welfare of a child. She received a $10,000 bond. Donahue is facing a single count of endangering the welfare child and has a $500 bond.
The Smyrna School District said in a statement that it reported the “alleged wrongdoing by staff” to police and Division of Family Services in February.
“We have worked diligently with our law enforcement partners throughout the investigation,” the statement said. “The community and school system have been patiently waiting the conclusion of those extraordinary efforts. We appreciate the diligence and thoroughness of law enforcement in bringing closure to this troubling matter.”
School officials stated they removed the teachers from the classroom once the allegations surfaced. They also said “most” of the accused teachers are no longer with the district. As for the teachers still on the payroll, the district will “honor employee privacy rights with regard to separation of employment” and will send reports to the Department of Education’s Division of Licensure and Certification, per officials.
“Student safety is of paramount 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 through this difficult time,” the statement concluded.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for the three teachers on Nov. 15. It’s unclear if they have attorneys.
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