Marrisa Johnson, 26, Smyrna
Makayla Lomax, 31, Smyrna
Morgan Donahue, 21, Clayton
Smyrna Police Investigators have concluded their investigation into child abuse/neglect allegations that began in February 2024, with arrests this week. This long and detailed investigation, conducted in partnership with the DE Dept. of Justice and with the cooperation of the Smyrna School District, has revealed an alleged pattern of troubling behavior in a special needs elementary classroom. Investigation revealed that employees working in this classroom would allegedly throw objects at the students, yell at them, and call them names. One of the suspects, Makayla Lomax, 31, of Smyrna, is also alleged to have struck a student in the face, as well as sprayed that same student with a water bottle as a form of discipline. During our investigation, we also uncovered another alleged incident outside of the affected classroom that occurred in the Fall of 2022 and involved two of the employees feeding hot sauce and hot Takis to a special needs student who had a known digestive disability. Below are the (3) suspects and their charges. As with all individuals accused of crimes, these defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Marrisa Johnson, 26, Smyrna:
10 counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child. JP Court 2 video presentment, $10,000 unsecured bond with no contact orders. These charges are in relation to the conditions of the affected classroom stated above, and feeding a student with a digestive disorder hot Takis.
Makayla Lomax, 31, Smyrna:
Child Abuse 3rd Degree, 9 counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, Offensive Touching. JP Court 2 video presentment, $12,500 unsecured bond with no contact orders. These charges are in relation to the conditions of the affected classroom, as stated, in addition to striking and spraying a child in the face with a water bottle.
Morgan Donahue, 21, Clayton:
1 count of Endangering the Welfare of a child. JP Court 2 video presentment, $500 unsecured bond with no contact orders. This charge is in relation to feeding a student hot sauce and hot Takis when they had a known digestive disorder.
Lord, I pray nobody mistreat my special needs kid bc it will be a sad day in Dougherty county
I don't know how this abuse went on so long n so many people pertisapating in it together. I also don't know I don't know why it took Smyrna police department 10 months to investigate and make the arrest. They always seem to be lined up trying to to catch speeders and as soon as they catch one 3 or 4 cars show up and it's always in one lane of the hwy,in the turn lane or at the entrance of a business.Baby Emma didn't receive justice and it looks like neither will the non verbal autistic children. The bonds were 12,500,10,000 n 5,000 and these were not only disabled but they were small children that can't talk to tell…
I do not understand how this sick behavior was not brought to them attention of the authorities way before now. Bond, there should be no bond, unsecured or otherwise. I sincerely hope that the school district has already offer counselling for all the children who witnessed this behavior and the parents. The victims and their parents will need long term counseling. This will be a terrible memory for all the children, but for both the victims and their families, it will take years. So get prepared Symna School District. My heart goes out to all the children, especially the victims.
The abuse of children that goes on behind closed doors is a tragedy on so many levels. Children are innocent and need to be protected at all times. We put our trust in the system to protect our kids at all cost , and then you have sick, disturbed, undisapplened, Low I.Q. individuals like these 3 losers slip thru the cracks. I pray these children aren't scared or have reacurring memories of what was done to them. Also prayers for the parents/Guardians of the abused children.
If they are guilty, leave them in a room with the parents of those defenseless children