ROCKDALE COUNTY, Ga. — A Rockdale County school paraprofessional accused of hanging a child by his belt from the classroom’s chalkboard has been charged with misdemeanor reckless conduct and was ordered to report to jail by 6 p.m. Friday.
Tracy Davis, the kindergartener’s grandmother, is furious with the judge's decision. %
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"Yes I’m angry, I don't understand it,” she said.
The incident happened May 5 at Shoal Creek Elementary School. Paraprofessional Antonio Cammon was fired after the incident. He could have faced a felony cruelty to children charge, but walked away from the Rockdale County Courthouse with a misdemeanor charge.
“Who’s going to help my grandbaby get through all of this? Who? Who? Y’all failed him,” Davis said.
Davis’ 5-year-old grandson was in teacher Tiffany Thomas' classroom when Cammon is alleged to have hung the child by his belt from a chalkboard. Cammon's attorney said in court Thursday it was an accident.
“We're confident that once we get to trial, this was an accident. When he lifted that child, he accidentally got caught on that hook,” Attorney Jackie Patterson said.
Principal Tiwon Toney testified he found the child hanging after hearing screams from Thomas’ classroom and does not believe the incident was an accident. %
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“Mr. Cammon was away from the student and the student was hanging by himself. If it were an accident or unintentional he would have taken him down and I would not have seen him hanging on the hook,” Toney testified.
Thomas and paraprofessional Jaqueline Bramwell also faced criminal charges, but the judge ruled there was not enough evidence to charge them.
Davis says she felt it was her grandson who was on trial during the hearing, not Cammon’s actions.
“That was down played and my grandson's behavior was on display,” she said.
The teacher and two paraprofessionals were fired by the Rockdale County School district after the incident.