Heidi Todd, 52, a Holy Name School teacher, was arrested Friday and charged with first-degree assault-domestic violence after a child arrived at school with an injury near the eye, prompting the school's resource officer to contact Henderson police, according to The Hendersonian. Todd was booked into the Henderson County Detention Center and had bonded out by the following day on a $1,000 bond.
According to The Hendersonian, the reported domestic-assault incident occurred at Todd's home. The child's injury was noticed once the child arrived at school, though it was not serious enough to keep the child from going on a scheduled field trip that Friday, the outlet reports.
The resource officer contacted the Henderson Police Department, which sent officers to the school. Police questioned the child after the field trip, while Holy Name officials separately questioned Todd before sending her home, according to the report.
Kentucky's Reporting Requirement
Kentucky guidance does not quantify how often school personnel are the first to report suspected child maltreatment. The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services says state law requires suspected maltreatment to be reported whether it occurs at home, at school or in another community setting.
How the Charge Is Classified Under Kentucky Law
Kentucky's first-degree-assault statute requires a serious physical injury and the use of a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument. The Hendersonian reported that the child's injury was classified as serious and Todd's hand as a dangerous instrument in this case. The Kentucky Revised Statutes set out the elements of the offense.
Law enforcement had planned to question Todd at her house as part of the investigation, the outlet reports. She was arrested that Friday and, per the Henderson County Detention Center's website, bonded out on Saturday.
School's Response to Parents
Holy Name placed Todd on administrative leave and secured a certified substitute teacher for her class, per a report from The Hendersonian. In a message to parents, school administration asked for prayers for everyone involved and said the matter would be handled by the proper authorities, according to the outlet's reporting.
The Hendersonian's report, authored by founder, publisher and editor Vince Tweddell, does not identify the child or the child's relationship to Todd, nor does it detail the case's current court status. Those details remain unknown based on available reporting.
