Mary Tracy Morrison, 51, the owner and director of two Jonesboro, Arkansas educational programs, pleaded guilty to permitting child abuse and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile and was sentenced to 30 days in jail, 120 days of electronic-monitored house arrest and nine years of probation. Video obtained by deputies allegedly shows Morrison directing students to surround and strike a peer while she berated him and later appeared to praise the attackers. The incident reportedly lasted about 30 minutes and allegedly included a teacher instructing a student to strike a classmate in a private area. Three other employees have been arrested in connection with the investigation, and the judge has barred Morrison from working with children and ordered her to surrender professional licenses.
Jonesboro Director Sentenced After Alleged 'Child Fight Club' — 30 Days Jail, 9 Years Probation
Mary Tracy Morrison, 51, the owner and director of The Delta Institute for the Developing Brain and the Engage program in Jonesboro, Arkansas, has been sentenced after pleading guilty to charges related to what prosecutors described as a makeshift 'child fight club.'
Case Details
Morrison pleaded guilty on Monday to one count of permitting child abuse and four counts of contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile. She was given 30 days in jail, 120 days of house arrest with electronic monitoring, and nine years of probation.
Video Evidence and Allegations
Authorities say the investigation began after a mother reported her teenage son had been mentally and physically abused while at the school. Deputies executed a search warrant in April 2025 and obtained video footage that, according to a probable cause affidavit, showed Morrison directing a juvenile to sit in the center of a circle while 18 other students stood around him. The affidavit states Morrison told other students to place their hands on the child and strike him with an 'unknown object.'
Investigators allege the footage shows Morrison verbally berating the victim, another student kicking and choking the child, and Morrison later giving a student a high five, which investigators interpreted as approval.
Deputies said the episode lasted about 30 minutes and included an instance in which a teacher allegedly instructed a student to strike a classmate in a private area. Afterward, Morrison allegedly told the victim to apologize to the group and ordered the students not to discuss the incident.
Legal Orders and Other Arrests
The judge also barred Morrison from working with children in any professional capacity, ordered her to surrender her occupational therapy license and any related credentials, and required a mental health assessment with compliance with recommended treatment.
Three other school employees — Michael Bean, 38; Kristin Bell, 36; and Kathrine Lipscomb, 45 — were also arrested in connection with the investigation. Local reporting cites law enforcement statements and the probable cause affidavit as the source of these details.
Fox News Digital reported it could not immediately reach The Delta Institute for the Developing Brain or the Engage program for comment because no public or operational email address was listed for either organization.
Ongoing Impact
The case highlights concerns about supervision and student safety in small educational programs and will likely prompt additional local scrutiny and review of policies governing staff conduct and student protection.
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