Local

School administrator arrested after special needs child says he was beaten with belt

MCDONOUGH, Ga. — A school administrator is in jail after he beat a 9-year-old special needs student several times with a belt, according to police.
 
Channel 2's Amy Napier Viteri talked to the child's mother, who said she didn't authorize the discipline.
 
The incident has had a lot of people concerned and people have been reaching out to Channel 2 Action News on our Facebook page since it happened Monday.
 
Viteri talked with the 9-year-old and got a look at his bruises. His mother says a school administrator struck him several times with a belt for disobeying his teacher.
 
Lori Cameron, Gentry's mother, showed Viteri photos of several bruises on Gentry's body. He also has a scratch where she says Larry Morey, an administrator at his school, Ace Academy, picked him up off the ground. 
 
"They lifted him from what I understand about 18 inches off the ground and beat him with a leather belt," Cameron said.
 
Cameron said she got a call from the school on Westridge Industrial Boulevard on Monday to let her know they were disciplining her son, who is a special needs student.  
 
"I inspected my son, and he's covered in bruises and welts," Cameron said.
 
Foster told Viteri that another staff member held him up while Morey struck him several times along his legs and midsection with the belt.
 
"I was screaming for help. I was lifting up my legs to try to block my butt," Gentry said.
 
"I was angry. I just couldn't wrap my mind around it," Cameron said.
 
Henry County police arrested Morey. They say he showed them a notarized waiver signed by Cameron allowing Ace Academy to use corporal punishment. 
 
"However, in this particular case detectives believed it was excessive, given the marks and bruising on the child," said Sgt. William Powell, with the Henry County Police Department.
 
Cameron said in the past she gave written permission for staff to spank Gentry one time but not with a belt.
 
Viteri called the school Wednesday and a woman named Kim Morey told her they can't comment but are cooperating with investigators.
 
"I don't want to see this happen to anybody else's child," Cameron said.
 
Morey was booked into the Henry County Jail Wednesday. Police said he is charged with child cruelty.