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Former 'Teacher of the Year' Arrested After Viral Video Allegedly Shows Beating of 12-Year-Old Son

10:17 PM, 11/22/2025
Former 'Teacher of the Year' Arrested After Viral Video Allegedly Shows Beating of 12-Year-Old Son

Randi Nicole Jackson Staples, 44, a former Teacher of the Year at Cottage Hill Christian Academy in Mobile, Alabama, was arrested Nov. 16 on a charge of willful child abuse after a video circulated that appears to show her striking her 12-year-old son with a belt. She was released from jail on Nov. 19. Family members say the clip was shared by an older sibling and followed a dispute over household chores. Local officials called the behavior "egregious," and the school said it will act to protect student welfare while the investigation continues.

Randi Nicole Jackson Staples, 44, was arrested on Nov. 16 and charged with willful child abuse after a video that circulated online appears to show her striking her 12-year-old son with a belt. Staples, a resident of Grand Bay, Alabama and a former teacher at Cottage Hill Christian Academy in Mobile who had previously been named Teacher of the Year, was released from Metro Jail on Nov. 19.

What the video reportedly shows

In the clip that family members say they shared, a woman identified as Staples is seen striking a young boy with a belt while shouting; the footage then appears to show the boy crying as the woman pulls him by the hair and slams him to the floor. According to family accounts, the confrontation began after an argument about household chores.

Family and official response

Staples' eldest son said he posted the footage after receiving it from a sibling because he believed his mother should not be working at a school or mistreating his younger brothers. Local authorities described the conduct shown in the recording as "egregious." Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch said he supports reasonable discipline but that the actions in the video went "way above and beyond any form of discipline."

School statement and next steps

Cottage Hill Christian Academy confirmed Staples previously received a Teacher of the Year honor and said the school prioritizes the well-being and safety of children, adding it will respond promptly and responsibly to matters that affect student welfare. Arrest records list the charge as willful abuse of a child under 18, and the investigation remains active. Representatives for Staples have been contacted for comment.

The incident has prompted strong reactions in the local community as authorities review the footage and determine next steps in the legal process.

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Former 'Teacher of the Year' Arrested After Viral Video Allegedly Shows Beating of 12-Year-Old Son - CRBC News