Maryland School Faces Backlash After Calling Second-Grader’s Hanging ‘Horseplay’
A Maryland school district is under fire after a second-grader was reportedly hung by the neck by a fourth-grader in a school bathroom. The incident occurred on November 15 at C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School in Waldorf, Maryland.
The victim’s mother shared the ordeal on social media, revealing her son was found unconscious and foaming at the mouth by the principal. He was rushed to a children’s hospital and is now physically recovering.
“My child was hung in the boys’ bathroom,” she wrote, describing the horrifying moment when she saw her son surrounded by doctors. She added, “Bullying is never OK.”
The mother emphasized the emotional scars left on her son, who still bears bruises and is struggling to recover mentally.
In response, Charles County Public Schools issued a statement, attributing the incident to “horseplay,” a claim that has drawn widespread criticism from parents and the community.
A press statement from school principal Carrie Burke, released on Friday, stated: “This afternoon, two of our students were reportedly horseplaying in a school bathroom when one student’s jacket got caught on a stall door hook.
“The student was not able to free themselves and the other student involved was also not able to help them. This student left the bathroom to seek help from staff and reported the incident to administrators.”
Administrators responded and were able to help the boy, but staff called 911 for additional precautionary medical support, the statement added.
Medical records shared with WUSA stated that among his injuries, the youngster had sustained a neck contusion, which is caused by blunt trauma to the neck.
Despite the statement put out by the school, the parents have questioned what went on during the incident. It has been suggested that the seven-year-old was being bullied by the older boy – who was in the fourth grade.
“It doesn’t make sense to me. If you’re horseplaying, how do you get caught on a hook? We need answers. I want answers, and we won’t stop until we get answers,” the boy’s mother added.
Their son will not be returning to the school, the parents have said.
An additional statement, put out by the school on Sunday, denied online speculation that there had been a “cover up” of the incident.
“The principal nor the school system are hiding anything,” the statement read. “Rather, we are sharing what information we can while we conduct a full investigation. The investigation is ongoing; speculation about what did or did not happen as well as the circulation of misinformation impedes the investigation process.
“Some comments online have alluded to threats toward staff. While the information circulating is alarming and involves heavy emotions, it does not warrant threats against staff or toward others involved.”