44-year-old Randi Nicole Staples, a teacher in Mobile County, Alabama, was arrested for felony willful child abuse after a video surfaced showing her beating her 12-year-old son with a belt.
The viral video showed Staples striking her son approximately 20–22 times with a belt or strap, pulling his hair, and yelling at him.
Staples, who had been named the "Teacher of the Year" at her school in May 2025, was terminated following the incident.