By Jeff Devine
CORRECTION: the headline shared on social media originally stated the child was a student of Staples. In fact, it was her own child, which was stated in the report. We have updated the headline and image to reflect the correction.
A Mobile County teacher has been arrested after a disturbing video circulated online showing her repeatedly striking her child with a belt, snatching his hair and throwing him to the ground.
The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Nicole Staples, a 2nd-grade teacher at Cottage Hill Christian Academy, was arrested Wednesday evening and charged with willful abuse of a child under 18.
The disturbing video, which sparked widespread outrage, appears to show Staples outside of school hitting the child more than 20 times and pulling the child by the hair. In the video, the child can be heard crying out as the teacher allegedly beat him with the belt, shouting obscenities at him, and grabbed him by the hair before slinging him to the ground
Cottage Hill Christian Academy, which is affiliated with Cottage Hill Baptist Church, announced that Staples has been terminated, saying the decision followed findings by law enforcement and was carried out “in accordance with institutional policy.”
The school also released a detailed statement outlining the timeline of its response. According to the statement, school leadership was first made aware of concerns on November 19, 2025, involving the teacher’s off-campus conduct toward her minor child at her personal residence. Although the incident did not occur on school grounds, school officials said the seriousness of the allegations required immediate administrative action.
Staples was relieved of her duties and placed on administrative leave pending further review. Cottage Hill Christian Academy stated it cooperated fully with the City of Mobile Police Department and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, and also launched an independent investigation.
The school said law enforcement later determined the teacher had engaged in improper conduct unrelated to her school duties. After those findings, authorities made an arrest, and the school terminated her employment.
“Cottage Hill Christian Academy prioritizes the well-being of children above all else,” Head of School Chris Brazell said in a statement. “We will always act promptly, transparently, and responsibly when matters arise that may impact the safety or integrity of our school community.”
The school added that it will continue cooperating with the Department of Human Resources, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, and the Mobile County District Attorney’s Office as the investigation moves forward.
Before the video surfaced, Staples had been recognized as co-Teacher of the Year in May, though those posts have since been deleted from the school’s social media accounts.
The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office says the case remains active, and no additional details are being released at this time as their investigation continues.
