Caroline County mother speaks out after teacher’s arrest on child abuse charges

CAROLINE COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — A Caroline County mother is speaking out after she says her three-year-old son was abused by his teacher at Bowling Green Elementary School.

The alleged incident happened on Friday, Sept. 19. The mother, who asked to remain anonymous, says looking back, she realizes her son showed signs of distress that morning and was hesitant to go to school.

“I never thought, like, he would say he’s scared to go to school,” she said.

She said when she picked him up from school later that afternoon, he told her his teacher pinched him. She says he then noticed several scratches on his shoulders. The mother said she immediately returned to the school to meet with an administrator and her son’s pre-K teacher.

“The teacher basically explained, 'oh, he was running from me, I just tried to hold him close and say, let’s take deep breaths and sit down.' But from the scratches and stuff, it didn’t look like that’s all she did.”

Later that evening, she learned the teacher had been arrested.

According to the Caroline County Sheriff’s Office, 28-year-old Spenser Bettinger is facing multiple charges, including felony child abuse, felony causing an injury to a child while having custody of the child, and assault.

The mother said the severity of the charges left her with more questions.

“What else have you done?" she asked. "Like, have you done anything else?”

A spokesperson for Caroline County Public Schools confirmed the incident was caught on school surveillance cameras. However, the child’s mother stated that she has not yet been able to view the video. She told 8News she plans to see the footage for the first time on Wednesday and isn't sure what to expect.

“I feel like they should have just offered to, like, come out and try to show me instead of me keep asking, can I see a video of my son getting, you know, assaulted by his teacher?”

She says she's working to get her son counseling. She also urged parents to listen closely to their children.

“If your kids, they tell you something, some believe them," she said. "People always think like kids, like they’re just lying, they’re little, they’ll just come up with something, stretch the truth. But after this, I think you need to really, like, pay attention when they say stuff to you.”

Caroline County Public Schools confirmed Bettinger is no longer employed by the district. She was released on bail. Her next court appearance is set for Sept. 29, according to online court records.