A Fayette County elementary teacher was arrested Friday and charged with child abuse with injury after what authorities describe as an altercation Thursday in a Southwest Elementary special‑education classroom involving a 7‑year‑old student with autism and ADHD. Court documents say the teacher grabbed the child by the arms, and that another staff member later noticed bruising and redness. The student's parents told investigators they wanted charges pursued, and the teacher was taken into custody.
Arrest and charges
According to court documents and reporting by WREG, the teacher is identified as Taylor Hayes and is formally charged with child abuse with injury. The filings state that Hayes raised her voice and grabbed the 7‑year‑old after he refused to sit, and that the child later apologized to another teacher for saying "no." Hayes told investigators she had been substituting in the special‑education room and said she did not intend to hurt the student, telling authorities she was trying to keep him from "flopping" on the floor during a tantrum.
School context and safety records
Southwest Elementary, which is part of Fayette County Public Schools, has already faced scrutiny over how incidents on campus are handled. As reported last year in coverage of a high‑profile arrest and lawsuit, the school’s leadership was drawn into a civil rights dispute that intensified public questions about reporting and oversight. State data also show the school recorded multiple "serious incidents" in the Tennessee Safe Schools report maintained by the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE).
Next steps
The Fayette County Sheriff's Office placed Hayes into custody after investigators say the parents asked prosecutors to pursue charges, and the case is now moving through the county's criminal system, according to WREG. Court filings and upcoming hearings will determine whether prosecutors formally move forward on the charge and when Hayes will next appear in Fayette County court.
Why the allegation matters
Allegations that a school staff member used force on a child with disabilities tend to draw rapid attention from parents and advocates, in part because students with autism or ADHD can be especially vulnerable during behavioral flare‑ups. Those groups often push for clearer training in de‑escalation and stronger oversight in classrooms serving students with special needs as the criminal case, and any related district review, play out.
