Covington Police arrested a teacher and a paraprofessional on cruelty to a juvenile charges, the department announced today. Police say the incident was caught on camera in a classroom for students with exceptionalities (SWE).
"On May 28, 2024, the Covington Police Department received a report regarding an incident at E. E. Lyon Elementary School, 1615 North Florida Street, in Covington," said Covington PD Det. Cyrus Kety. "Upon investigation, detectives determined that two employees had engaged in what amounted to battery on a vulnerable student."
Police arrested 44-year-old Catherine Mumphrey and 71-year-old Lauren Breckle on felony charges of cruelty to a juvenile.
"In this particular case, the presence of cameras in the SWE classroom proved invaluable," said Kety. "Due to the nature of the victim's communication abilities, the video footage played a critical role in capturing the incident and expediting the investigation."
Police say this case is not related to an arrest made at the same school last month.
Mumphrey and Breckle are no longer employed by St. Tammany Parish Public Schools.
"Student safety is our top priority, and this type of behavior is absolutely unacceptable," said St. Tammany Parish Public School Superintendent Frank Jabbia. "We took immediate and appropriate action in this situation and are committed to maintaining a safe and secure learning environment in our schools for all of our students."
Police said their investigation is ongoing.
"The Covington Police Department is committed to protecting the safety and well-being of all children in our community," said Chief Michael Ferrell. "We take allegations of abuse against children very seriously and will thoroughly investigate any such claims."
