A former education aide in Texas has been indicted on a felony charge for allegedly berating a young child and holding them upside down by their feet. Rachel Kirspel, 37, faces a charge of injury to a child with intent of bodily injury.
Prosecutors allege that Kirspel, who worked at the Marshall Early Childhood Learning Center in Marshall, Texas, called a child "ugly as hell" and stated, "You can tell your mama didn’t raise you right." Another employee reported hearing children screaming from the room Kirspel was supervising in May and discovered Kirspel holding a child upside down by their feet and swinging them.
The child, whose age and gender were not disclosed, was reportedly screaming and crying. The Marshall Early Childhood Learning Center serves three- and four-year-old students.
After the employee confronted Kirspel, the former aide allegedly flipped the child upright and attempted to placate them. The reporting employee told Kirspel to leave the room, and Kirspel subsequently quit her job at the school. The school district stated it followed all protocols and referred the incident to Child Protective Services and the Texas Education Agency.
Kirspel was arrested on May 18 and charged. She initially posted a $50,000 bond but was later re-arrested on May 22 for failing to report to the probation department. Her bond was increased to $100,000, and she was booked back into Harrison County Jail, where she remained as of Monday.
Kirspel told police that she was attempting to get students to lie down for nap time, but one child refused and was acting unruly. She stated she put the child over her shoulder before allegedly berating them and hanging them upside down. Kirspel was indicted on July 30, with her arraignment hearing on August 11. A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for October 13, 2026.
