CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. — A Chesterfield mom is calling for change and transparency after she says her son was assaulted by a Virginia teacher who was recently arrested in another county.
The mom, who does not want to be identified to protect her child, reached out to CBS 6 investigative reporter Laura French after her report on the arrest of former Prince George teacher Alisha Ferrell. Ferrell was charged in October with making a false police report after claiming she was abducted, zip-tied, and sexually assaulted.
She confessed to police that the blood on her clothing was fake Halloween blood and that she had zip-tied herself.
Watch: Virginia teacher arrested after 911 call: 'I don't want my kid around her'
The Chesterfield mom says in 2021, Ferrell was charged with misdemeanor assault and battery for the way she pulled her 3-year-old son, who has a disability and is nonverbal, off of playground equipment at his Chesterfield Elementary school. Forensic pictures police took after the incident show bruises on the child's arms.
“She grabbed both of his arms with both of her hands,” said the mom. “He was not coming off the playground equipment, she pulled him off, grabbed him with both of her hands on both of his arms, and yanked him off the playground and that's how the marks got there.”
“She tells him to line up, he doesn’t line up,” explains the mom.
“When you watched that video, try to describe to me what that was like?" asked French.
“Heartbreaking," mom responded. “I could not believe a teacher would yank a child off playground equipment. My son was nonverbal, and he could not express to me what happened. So the video is all I had.”
The case went to trial in January 2022 and the Chesterfield Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office says while all parties agreed that while Ferrell used an unreasonable amount of force, she did not intentionally hurt the child. They said there was evidence sufficient to find guilt but the charge was eventually dismissed with community service.
“The defense attorney had said in court that she would lose her teaching license and have to do some community service,” said the child’s mom. “We accepted the terms and conditions based on the fact that she was going to lose her license. Then I find out by watching the news that she's now teaching Prince George County with the same group of children?”
CBS 6 reached out to Ferrell’s former defense attorney. She confirmed making the comment that Ferrell would lose her license in the 2022 trial, but she said she meant, if she got convicted. CBS 6 confirmed no deal was made concerning Ferrell’s license.
CBS 6 reached out to the Virginia Department of Education. They declined our request for an on-camera interview, but off camera, they confirmed that Chesterfield County Public Schools did not notify the VDOE of Ferrell’s 2021 arrest and charge. The VDOE says divisions are not obligated to notify them until there is a conviction but they say most still do as PGCPS did when Ferrell was arrested in October 2024.
“I don't know, obviously, what caused her to be so rough with my son. I don't know what caused her to make up all these horrible lies about herself. I don't know, but I know she needs help. I know she does not need to be teaching with children. Those are the two, two things that I can say for a fact that needs to be done,” said mom.
The VDOE says Ferrell’s license is currently on hold.
“The way I look at it is, Chesterfield County Public Schools should have notified the Virginia Department of Education that this teacher had an assault and battery charge against a young child. There was evidence, she admitted to it, there was court, there was findings, and at that point, the Virginia Department of Education should have done what they need to do to remove her license,” said mom.
CBS 6 reached out to Chesterfield County Public Schools for comment and have not heard back.
“I still don't believe she deserved anything more than really losing her teaching license, not being around these vulnerable children. That is what angers me the most about the whole situation, is that somehow communication did not get to the Virginia Department of Education that this woman should no longer be around children. Should no longer be a teacher, and she is.”
A source tells CBS 6 that Ferrell was not terminated from Prince George County Public Schools, she was allowed to quit.
Ferrell’s next court appearance is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 24, in Prince George.
The VDOE says they are closely monitoring her court proceedings.
CBS 6 is committed to sharing community voices on this important topic. Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom.
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