3 Delaware School Workers Fed Takis with Hot Sauce to Student They Knew Had Digestive Disability: Police

Makayla Lomax, 31, Marrisa Johnson, 26, and Morgan Donahue, 21, are all charged with endangering the welfare of a child

Three workers at a Delaware elementary school were arrested after authorities allege they abused children with special needs.

Makayla Lomax, 31, Marrisa Johnson, 26, and Morgan Donahue, 21, are all charged with endangering the welfare of a child, according to a press release shared by the Smyrna Police Department in early November. Lomax also faces charges of third-degree child abuse and offensive touching.

It’s unclear if the suspects have entered pleas or retained attorneys to speak on their behalf.

An investigation that began in February showed that employees working in an elementary school classroom for students with special needs within the Smyrna School District would allegedly “throw objects at the students, yell at them, and call them names,” per the release.

According to police, Johnson and Donahue are accused of feeding Takis with hot sauce to a student with special needs in late 2022 knowing the child had a digestive disability.

Additionally, Lomax allegedly hit a student in the face and sprayed the victim with a water bottle as a “form of discipline,” police said. Authorities have not released further details regarding the investigation. 

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The Smyrna School District released a statement on Nov. 6 following the announcement of the arrests, saying the district was cooperative with law enforcement throughout the investigation.

“The relevant employees have not been in the presence of our students since the district was made aware of the alleged wrongdoing,” the statement read, in part. 

“Most individuals alleged to be involved no longer work for the District,” it continued. “With regard to the remaining employees, the District will honor employee privacy rights with regard to separation of employment, and we will make our reports to the Department of Education’s Division of Licensure and Certification.”