Alabama teacher arrested after 4-year-old hospitalized

MOBILE COUNTY, Ala. (WKRG) — A special education teacher at Collins-Rhodes Elementary School has been arrested after a 4-year-old was hospitalized with alcohol poisoning.

According to the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, Tracy Elaine Walker, 56, was arrested on Wednesday and accused of aggravated child abuse.

The school’s website names Walker as a special education teacher there.

MCSO officials said the 4-year-old was admitted to USA Children’s and Women’s Hospital

on April 28. Her blood alcohol concentration was found to be .286 — exceeding the legal limit by 3.5 times.

The Prichard Police Department was originally the leading agency on the case. The MCSO Child Protection Unit, however, took over the case May 6.

“During an interview conducted by MCSO Detectives with the 4-year-old child, the child reported that her teacher had given her a drink that made her feel sick,” the MCSO stated.

“To us, that’s a step towards justice being served,” the father of the 4-year-old child stated. “I’m still trying to process it.“

A Mobile County Public School System spokesperson released a statement following the arrest:

“We take all allegations seriously. The teacher was placed on administrative leave when this allegation was first made. We have been cooperating with law enforcement on the investigation, and we will continue working with them.”