Second American teacher of North Carolina charged with physically abusing child with special needs in 2 months

Lori Miller Holland was charged with one count of misdemeanor child abuse and one count of misdemeanor assault on an individual with a disability.

By Edward Era Barbacena 

When it comes to child abuse in the United States,  teachers are some of the most common perpetrators on both physical and sexual abuses. Off course, the usual suspects are white.

Two teachers (who are white) from the same county in North Carolina have been charged for allegedly abusing a special needs child in the past three months.

According to court documents reviewed by PEOPLE, Lori Miller Holland was charged with one count of misdemeanor child abuse and one count of misdemeanor assault on an individual with a disability by the Wake County Sheriff's Office on Friday.

The 54-year-old is a special programs teacher at Carver Elementary in Wendell, a town in Wake County. Holland allegedly brought a "substantial risk of injury" and "unlawfully and willfully did assault and strike" by "dragging" them "down the hallway of the school" on Jan. 30, according to her arrest warrant. She posted a $1000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on March 18.

The News & Observer reported that Holland has been a part of the Wake County school system since 2012 and has been suspended with pay. School principal Wenitra Merritt sent a message to families informing them of Holland's suspension, per the outlet.

"I want to assure you that we take the safety of our students and staff members very seriously. While privacy laws prevent me from providing much additional information about the situation, I can share that Ms. Holland is suspended," the message read, according to The News & Observer.

The incident follows the December arrest of Tiffany Krystine Ebron, 29, who was charged with one count of misdemeanor assault on a child under 12, one count of misdemeanor assault on an individual with disabilities, and one count of misdemeanor child abuse, per court documents reviewed by PEOPLE. Ebron was employed as a special programs instruction assistant at East Garner Elementary School. Garner is also part of Wake County, N.C.

The charges stemmed from an alleged Nov. 14, 2024 incident in which Ebron allegedly lifted a special needs child "by the feet, resulting in the child striking the back of the head on the floor." She is alleged to have "dragged" the unidentified 9-year-old child "by the feet across the floor."

The arrest warrant states that Ebron did the alleged act "unlawfully and willfully" while she was "a person providing care and supervision."

"The physical injury inflicted caused the child to complaint of head and [that] he had carpet burn on his stomach and arms, and was inflicted by other than accidental means," the document states.

Ebron was ordered to pay a $15,000 bond and remains suspended without pay.