A South Carolina woman was arrested earlier this month for using a false identity to work at a Laurens County elementary school. Now, she faces an additional charge of assaulting a child with autism during her employment there.
The woman, Bryia Lattimore Scott, was hired under the name “Viola Church” by the Laurens District 55 school system to work at Waterloo Elementary School, according to the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office.
After discovering the deception, the school district reported the incident to the sheriff’s office, which investigated the matter. Subsequently, on December 19, Scott was arrested for identity fraud related to unlawfully securing employment.
According to WHNS, Scott was hired by Aya Healthcare, a platform that contracts with the school district and provides employment for “traveling nurses.”
A spokesperson for the organization told the Charleston Post and Courier they were “deeply disturbed” and were “reviewing” the situation. Spokesperson Lisa Parks declined to provide any actual information “due to the ongoing legal case.”
On the day of Scott’s arrest, the sheriff’s office said a “concerned parent” contacted them about an incident the day before in which Scott allegedly assaulted a special needs student. The incident was reported to school administrators by “concerned aides” in the classroom.
On Monday, the sheriff’s office announced it had arrested Scott on a charge of unlawful conduct toward a child. The investigation is ongoing, police said.
