Six people have lost their jobs at Pikeville Elementary School after two teacher aides were arrested following allegations of Child Abuse in a Special Needs classroom. Twenty-five-year-old Chloe Frizzell and 63-year-old Shelia Schmidt, both of Pikeville, are due back in court on March 6.
According to an Affidavit of Complaint filed with the Bledsoe County General Sessions Court, on Wednesday, February 15, 2023 a detective was notified by Pikeville Elementary School of an incident that took place in a classroom. The detective viewed video footage of the incident which, according to the affidavit, showed Sheila K. Schmidt picking up an object and throwing it at a juvenile student inside a classroom. Schmidt then grabbed the student by the hair of the head to drag her back approximately 8 to 10 feet and sat her back in a chair. Schmidt was charged with Child Abuse.
On Monday, February 20, 2023 Bledsoe County Director of Schools Selina Sparkman posted on the school’s Facebook page that six employees have been terminated following an investigation. The names of the other employees were not made public or how they may have been involved in the incident. The investigation is ongoing.