Teacher Arrested in Connection with 4-Year-Old’s Ethanol Ingestion

Mobile, AL (BuzzReport) – A 56-year-old teacher has been arrested and charged with aggravated child abuse after a 4-year-old student at Collins-Rhodes Elementary School ingested a large amount of ethanol. Tracy Walker, a special education teacher according to the school’s website, is being held at the Mobile County Metro Jail.

The incident came to light on April 28 when the child’s parents took her to USA Children’s and Women’s Hospital after she became severely ill at school. The child spent two and a half days in the ICU with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of nearly 0.29, exceeding the legal limit for an adult by more than 3.5 times.

According to investigators, the child told detectives that her teacher had given her a drink that made her feel sick. The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office took over the case on May 6 and has interviewed the family, teachers, and medical professionals.

A bond hearing for Walker is set for Friday. Anyone with information relevant to the case is asked to call the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office at 251-574-8633. The child is now recovering at home.