A Jacksonville preschool teacher is facing a felony child abuse charge after investigators say surveillance footage showed her grabbing a child by the ear and dragging the girl across a desk. Cheyenne Alyssa Eigner, 28, was taken into custody on October 1 on an active warrant, months after the alleged incident unfolded inside a classroom.
According to News4JAX, Eigner was taken into custody on October 1, according to a Jacksonville Sheriff's Office arrest report. Officers arrested her on an active warrant tied to an alleged abuse incident that took place months earlier, the report states.
What Surveillance Footage Allegedly Showed
The incident is reported to have occurred on May 22 at 9039 Beach Boulevard, the address of Cornerstone Christian School. Per the arrest report, surveillance video reviewed by investigators showed Eigner grabbing a child by the ear and dragging her from one side of a desk to the other.
The affidavit states that the child immediately clutched her ear once Eigner let go and appeared to be in pain. Despite the apparent distress, the affidavit also notes that the child sustained no lasting injury from the encounter.
Felony Charge Under Florida Law
Eigner now faces one count of child abuse, a third-degree felony. Under Florida Statute 827.03, a person who knowingly or willfully abuses a child without causing great bodily harm, permanent disability, or permanent disfigurement commits a felony of the third degree — the exact classification prosecutors have applied in this case.
Cornerstone Christian School describes itself as a non-denominational Christian school located in Jacksonville, Florida, according to the school's own website. The report identifies the school's Beach Boulevard address as the site of the alleged incident.
