A 32-year-old teacher at Conkwright Elementary School in Clark County, Kentucky is facing a felony charge after an arrest citation described video evidence showing a young student being dragged across classroom floors in two separate incidents last month. The citation also described the student’s lip being busted during a table episode. Jordan Royalty is charged with first-degree criminal abuse of a child under age 12.
According to WKYT, a Winchester Police Department officer was called to the Clark County Board of Education on Oct. 23 to review videos documenting two separate incidents involving Royalty and the student. The outlet reports those videos formed the basis of the arrest citation now at the center of the case.
What the Videos Allegedly Show
Per the arrest citation as described by the station, the first incident occurred on Oct. 8, when video showed Royalty dragging the 5-year-old student by the wrist as his body skidded across a classroom doorway and into the hall. A separate clip from that same day reportedly showed Royalty dragging the student into the school’s front office by his arms and wrist.
A second incident, dated Oct. 20, allegedly showed Royalty again dragging the student by the wrist toward a classroom doorway, where the student skidded across the floor a second time. The citation also described an episode in which Royalty pulled the child out from underneath a table, busting his lip in the process, the station reported.
Bond, Charges, and the Case Ahead
Royalty posted bond on Oct. 29 and is set to be arraigned on Dec. 21, the same report notes. The age-based Class B felony classification for first-degree criminal abuse applies when the victim is under 13, according to the Kentucky General Assembly.
Clark County Public Schools Superintendent Dustin Howard said more information would be released Thursday, as reported by WKYT, though the substance of that forthcoming statement has not yet been detailed. The outcome of the charge, whether Royalty has entered a plea, and whether the scheduled arraignment proceeded as planned all remain unknown at this time.
