Tennessee therapist accused of hitting 5yo with special needs with a lunchbox at school. His mother explains why she still sent him back

Jennifer Reynolds, a 54-year-old special education therapist in Tennessee, has been charged with aggravated child abuse after allegedly hitting a five-year-old boy in the face with a hard-sided lunchbox at school. The incident happened on Oct. 6 at Rhea Elementary School in Paris, Tennessee, where Reynolds had been assigned to work with the child. 

According to Us Weekly, the boy receives individual behavioral support at school. Reynolds was arrested two days later, on Oct. 8. Investigators allege that Reynolds struck the child on the right side of his face with the lunchbox. Authorities have not released details about what happened before the alleged assault, leaving questions about how the confrontation began.

School administrators intervened and removed Reynolds from the premises. She was also barred from returning to the property. The boy was taken to the school nurse to have his facial injuries assessed, and staff contacted his parents.

The family must now work out how replace the boy’s support

The child’s mother, Emily Dotson, later spoke to local television station WBBJ about what happened. She explained that her son receives Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy, which provides him with dedicated support during the school day.

Dotson said she was relieved by the school’s response and still felt comfortable sending her son back to Rhea Elementary. Her family has, however, ended its relationship with the third-party ABA provider that employed Reynolds.

That means the family must now work out how to replace the support the boy had been receiving. Dotson has not indicated that she plans to keep him away from the school, but the reported incident has changed the arrangements they had in place for his care.

Reynolds was arrested on Oct. 8 and booked into a local jail. She was released a few hours later after posting bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 20. The Henry County Sheriff’s Department has not released further details about the investigation. It is also unclear whether Reynolds has retained legal counsel or entered a plea to the aggravated child abuse charge.

The family’s immediate concern is their son’s recovery

The case has drawn attention to the role of outside therapy providers who work with children inside public schools. For families whose children need individual behavioral assistance, these specialists can be an important part of the school day. The allegations against Reynolds have raised questions about the safeguards in place when outside providers are assigned to work with young students.

For the Dotson family, the immediate concern is their son’s recovery and finding a way to continue his support without the provider they previously relied on. Reynolds has been charged, but the allegations have not been proven in court, and she is presumed innocent unless found guilty.