Christian Co. Public Schools confirms arrest of staff member of early learning center

HOPKINSVILLE, Ky. – Christian County Public Schools has confirmed the arrest of a staff member of its MLK Early Learning Center.

On Friday, the district released the following statement regarding the incident:

“Christian County Public Schools confirms an allegation of an incident involving a child and a staff member at the MLK Early Learning Center. Upon receipt of the allegation, the school immediately removed the staff member from the classroom. Law enforcement was notified and has assumed control of the investigation, which has resulted in the arrest of the staff member. The district will not tolerate actions that threaten the safety of children and students in its care. The safety and well-being of children is the district’s highest priority. The district will continue to take all appropriate steps to ensure a safe environment for the children in its care. Counseling and support resources are being made available to those affected. For the privacy of those involved and to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation, no further information can be released at this time.”

According to a report by WKDZ Radio, a citation from Christian County Public School System Law Enforcement states that 22-year-old Constance Larson of Clarksville, Tennessee, was seen on camera “striking a juvenile multiple times with both of her hands while the child was under her care.”

WKDZ reports Larson allegedly denied “raising her hands towards the child and stated she was only grabbing the child’s hand twice.”

According to WKDZ, Larson was charged with second-degree criminal abuse.

News 40 will provide updates on this case as they are released.