Female school worker called child UGLY then held them upside down by their feet, prosecutors say
A former education aide in Marshall, Texas, has been indicted after allegedly calling a young child "ugly" and holding them upside down by their feet while swinging them around. Rachel Kirspel, 37, worked at the Marshall Early Childhood Learning Center, which serves three- and four-year-olds, and was reported by a colleague who heard screaming and found her swinging the child side to side and up and down; the case has drawn scrutiny to child safety standards at the pre-kindergarten facility.
Kirspel allegedly told the child "You can tell your mama didn't raise you right" before quitting her job after the incident in May. She was arrested on 18 May and charged with injury to a child with intent of bodily injury, a third-degree felony, telling police she had been trying to get the rowdy child to lie down for nap time. She was rearrested days later for failing to report to probation, with her bond raised to $100,000, and was indicted on 30 July; her pre-trial hearing is set for 13 October 2026.
- Texas aide accused of calling child ugly, swinging them upside down
- Charged with injury to a child, a third-degree felony
- Pre-trial hearing scheduled for 13 October 2026
New here? Start with this
Marshall, Texas is home to the Marshall Early Childhood Learning Center, a pre-kindergarten facility for three- and four-year-olds. The case centres on Rachel Kirspel, a 37-year-old former education aide there, who is accused of mistreating one of the young children in her care during an incident in May 2026.
The allegations came to light after a colleague reportedly heard screaming and intervened. Kirspel left her job shortly afterwards and was arrested and charged with injury to a child, a serious criminal offence in Texas. She has since been indicted, meaning the case is proceeding towards trial, and the matter has raised broader questions about oversight and safety in early years education settings.