“Teacher of the Year” fired and arrested for be@ting her 12-year-old son 22 times with a belt

What makes someone “Teacher of the Year” in Africa might land you jail if you do same thing in the United States.

Randi Nicole Staples was arrested on a felony charge of aggravated child abuse and terminated from her position.

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This comes after a viral video of her showed her repeatedly striking her 12-year-old son with a belt and assaulting him.

The 45-second video, recorded secretly by the victim’s older brother on November 18, shows Staples hitting the boy 22 times with a belt, pulling his hair, and using profanities while the child cowers on the floor.

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The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office was contacted the same day by a family member who discovered the footage.

Staples turned herself in to authorities on Friday, November 22. She was booked into Mobile Metro Jail and released on $15,000 bond. Her court appearance is scheduled for January 2026.

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Randi was named Alabama’s 2024–2025 Teacher of the Year and a second-grade educator at Cottage Hill Christian Academy in Mobile.

Cottage Hill Christian Academy issued a statement confirming that Staples is “no longer employed” by the school.

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