Georgia elementary school principal arrested for alleged child cruelty, false imprisonment

A Georgia elementary school principal was arrested last week for multiple charges of alleged child cruelty and false imprisonment, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

In a press release, the GBI said Anastagia Carter, 51, of Douglas, Georgia, was charged with two counts of first-degree cruelty to a child, two counts of third-degree cruelty to a child, two counts of false imprisonment and two counts of simple battery that stemmed from incidents at Indian Creek Elementary School.

The Coffee County Board of Education contacted the GBI after receiving information about an incident between Carter and a student.

The GBI found in a preliminary investigation that there was allegedly a second incident involving Carter, and she was taken into custody by the Carter County Sheriff’s Office.

The school district posted a statement on its Facebook page regarding the incident.

“The Coffee County School System has been notified of allegations concerning the principal at Indian Creek Elementary School,” the statement read. “When this matter first came to the attention of the school system, a report was immediately made to the Department of Family and Children Services and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The principal was immediately placed on administrative leave.”

The details about the incidents are unknown, and the investigation is ongoing.

The press release notes that once the investigation is complete, it will be handed over to the Waycross Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.

The GBI encourages anyone with information about the matter to contact its regional investigative office in Douglas at 912-389-4103. Anonymous tips are also welcome and can be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS.