Lawton, OK – A parent of one of the students involved in an alleged assault at Central Middle School is speaking out about the emotional toll the incident has had on her family. The altercation, which occurred in mid-December, resulted in the arrest of two students, one of whom is facing charges related to an alleged confrontation with a teacher.
Cheyenne Garner, the mother of a 12-year-old girl involved in the incident, shared her distress with 7News, expressing frustration over the way the situation was handled. According to Garner, her daughter was attempting to use the restroom when a teacher physically blocked her path. “For her to already be in the restroom, making her way to the stall, and for you to physically get in her way to try and stop her,” Garner said, adding, “She’s twelve and somebody grabbed her.”
The incident has escalated to the point where Garner’s daughter is facing two felony assault charges, despite having a clean disciplinary record. “She’s a baby. I just can’t wrap my brain around how she’s being treated like a hardened criminal,” Garner said.
The alleged altercation took place on a Thursday, and Garner was unable to see her daughter until the following Saturday. When they finally met, Garner reported noticing marks on her daughter’s arms and neck. She also stated that no one had questioned her daughter about the incident or documented the visible injuries.
“From the moment that I got that phone call until that Saturday when I actually got to physically see and touch her, my heart told me my daughter got kidnapped, because I was never informed,” Garner said, describing her frustration with the lack of communication from the school.
Since the arrest, Garner has been allowed only one hour-long visit and one five-minute phone call per week with her daughter, which she said has been emotionally exhausting for her and the rest of her family. “I am so exhausted and have to wear this face and still take care of my other kids, whose holidays were also ruined,” she said. “Who I’m not emotionally there for because I am emotionally suffocated right now.”
Despite raising enough money to bail her daughter out, Garner expressed concern that posting bail would disqualify her from receiving state representation for her daughter’s case. “I just want to be able to do something more, but they tie your hands so much,” she said, referring to the $20,000 bond set for her daughter.
7News reached out to officials with the Lawton Public Schools (LPS) district for a statement. In response, LPS confirmed that all parents were contacted, but no specific details about the timing of the communication were provided. The district also declined to comment on any potential corrective action taken regarding the teacher involved, as the case remains under investigation by the District Attorney’s office.
The Comanche County District Attorney’s office declined to comment on the matter, citing the involvement of juveniles in the case.
Garner’s daughter is scheduled for a court hearing on January 16, and 7News plans to provide updates as the case develops.
