A New Caney mother says her 7-year-old nonverbal son with autism was injured at Kings Manor Elementary by a staff member who is now facing a criminal charge. Court records identify the former teacher as Faith Cosme, who was indicted in mid-June and arrested earlier this month. She is currently free on bond. The allegation has triggered a criminal probe in Montgomery County along with a separate review by state education officials.
According to ABC13, Cosme was indicted in Montgomery County on June 16 and arrested earlier this month, and the station reports she is out on bond. The outlet also reports that New Caney ISD confirmed Cosme is no longer employed by the district and that officials are cooperating with the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office investigation. On its website, the Texas Education Agency explains that its Educator Investigations Division reviews educator misconduct allegations and can open administrative cases while related criminal matters are still underway.
Mother's account
The boy's mother, who asked that reporters use only her first name, Rhiannon, told ABC13 that her son came home with visible marks on his neck and back, and that the school's principal called her in February about what had happened. "He had a couple of marks on his neck and back," she said, describing her son as nonverbal and needing specialized care. Rhiannon told the station that the teacher had allegedly grown frustrated because her son was crying.
Legal status and next steps
Cosme is charged with "injury to a child," a Texas offense that applies when a child or a person with a disability is harmed while under someone else's care. The conduct and penalties for this offense appear in Section 22.04 of the state penal code, titled "Injury to a Child, Elderly Individual, or Disabled Individual"; see Texas Statutes. Because the Texas Education Agency can move forward with administrative action apart from any criminal prosecution, its educator investigation could affect licensing or future employment even if the criminal case is still pending.
District context
New Caney ISD has faced other staff-related allegations in the past, including a 2018 incident in which a district educator was charged with injury to a child, as reported by Click2Houston. As the state has outlined, the Texas Education Agency can place individuals on a Do Not Hire registry or seek certificate discipline while criminal cases are still moving through the courts, and the agency announced several such placements earlier this year in a press release. The Texas Education Agency explains that the registry is used to prevent individuals from working in schools during pending proceedings. That combination of criminal, district, and state reviews is why school systems often stress cooperation with law enforcement and mandatory reporting while their own inquiries continue.
The Montgomery County investigation remains open, and future court filings or hearing dates are expected to clarify how prosecutors intend to move forward. The child's family has said it is focused on student safety and on accountability as the case progresses.
