‘Ringleader’ of child fight club sentenced to 30 days in jail

An Arkansas school director who allegedly acted as the ringleader of a makeshift child flight club was sentenced to serve 30 days in jail.

Mary Tracy Morrison pleaded guilty to one count of permitting child abuse and four counts of contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile, KAIT-TV in Arkansas reported.

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Morrison, an occupational therapist, was sentenced to 60 months’ probation on a child abuse charge and 12 months’ probation for each of the other charges. When Morrison is released from jail, she will be required to complete 120 days of house arrest with electronic monitoring. 

According to KAIT, Morrison will also be prohibited from working with children once she’s released from jail and must give up her occupational therapy and related licenses. A judge also ordered her to complete a mental health evaluation and treatment. 

FOX News reported that three other school employees, Michael Bean, Kristin Bell, and Kathrine Lipscomb, were also arrested in connection with the abuse. 

What happened in the child fight club case?

Dig deeper:

Mary Tracy Morrison was arrested after a mom reported to the Craighead County Sheriff’s Office on April 17, 2025, that her 13-year-old child was subjected to mental and physical abuse at the ENGAGE School and The Delta Institute for Developing the Brain. 

KAIT-TV reported that video obtained by authorities that showed Morrison directing the child to sit on the floor while being by other students and Morrison.

An affidavit obtained by KAIT-TV said Morrison told the other students to put their hands on the child in the center, while striking the child with an unknown object. 

 The news outlet noted that Morrison reprimanded the child, while another student kicked and choked the victim. Morrison apparently was shown in the video giving the student who assaulted the victim a high five, showing her enjoyment of the student’s vicious actions. 

After the attack, Morrison reportedly “instructed the victim to apologize to all other students” adding that the situation should not be discussed again.

Sonia F. Hagood, a prosecuting attorney, told KAIT-TV, that the incident lasted 30 minutes and involved a teacher instructing a student to hit another “in the private area.”

 

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