School staff forced disabled kids to eat hot sauce and sprayed them with water, police claim

Three staff members from a primary have been charged with neglect and in their care.

The probe into the allegations kicked off in February, culminating in the arrest of three women this week, according to a statement from police.

Makayla Lomax, 31, Marissa Johnson, 26, and Morgan Donahue, 21, face various charges related to endangering a child's welfare. Lomax also faces a third-degree child abuse charge for allegedly slapping a student in the face and using water spray as a form of discipline.

The trio, who were employed by the Smyrna School District in Delaware, US, exhibited a "pattern of troubling behaviour in a special needs primary classroom," said the police. Their inappropriate conduct reportedly included hurling objects at the students, shouting at them, and name-calling.

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According to the police, Johnson and Donahue once fed hot sauce and spicy Takis tortilla chips to a special needs pupil who they knew suffered from a digestive disorder.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the Smyrna School District confirmed that the three women "have not been in the presence of our students since the district was made aware of the alleged wrongdoing", reports . The allegations were reported to the Division of Family Services and the Delaware Smyrna Police Department, as per Fox8live.

"Student safety is of paramount importance to the Smyrna School District," the district stated. "We will continue to evaluate and improve all aspects of school safety. We will also continue to support our school community through this difficult time."