BILLINGSLEY, Alabama — A former teacher and two former teacher aides have been arrested by the Autauga County Sheriff’s Office following a law enforcement investigation into child abuse allegations at Billingsley School.
The authorities identified the arrested individuals as former teacher Kendra Spencer, alongside former teacher aides Jennifer Davis and Shayla Johnson. According to officials, the criminal charges are connected to incidents involving students within a self-contained special needs classroom.
The sheriff’s office stated that the case was initiated after reports of alleged abuse were brought to the attention of law enforcement and the local school board. Due to the expansive nature of the case, investigators worked alongside Autauga County School Board employees to review hundreds of hours of surveillance footage and additional evidence. Investigators successfully recovered video evidence that documents the alleged child abuse during the process.
Following the filing of charges, two of the defendants surrendered voluntarily to law enforcement, while the third individual was taken into custody without incident.
Autauga County Sheriff Mark Harrell stated that the investigation demanded an immense amount of time and resources because of the voluminous video evidence that required meticulous review. Sheriff Harrell added that investigators collaborated closely with the school board to ensure every single allegation was fully analyzed and documented.
Lyman Woodfin, the Superintendent of Autauga County Schools, confirmed that the school district immediately launched an internal investigation upon learning of the claims. The school system contacted the Alabama State Department of Education, the Department of Human Resources, and the Autauga County Sheriff’s Office, cooperating with all three organizations throughout the process.
Superintendent Woodfin noted that swift employment actions were taken, stating that the individuals were placed on administrative leave and barred from the campus immediately after the allegations surfaced. The three employees have since resigned from their positions. School officials emphasized that behavior threatening student safety or the educational environment will not be tolerated and will be handled according to district guidelines and state legislation.
The investigation is active and ongoing, and authorities indicated that extra charges could be filed as personnel continue to examine the remaining evidence. The Autauga County Sheriff’s Office has requested that anyone possessing information relevant to the case contact their department at 334-361-2500.
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