Covington student charged with felonies, faces up to 10 years for video-recorded attack on disabled teacher

COVINGTON, La. (WVUE) - The 18-year-old student arrested earlier this month for her video-recorded attack on a disabled teacher at Covington High School has been charged with felony counts that could be punishable by up to 10 years in prison, District Attorney Warren Montgomery’s office announced Tuesday (Oct. 19).

Larrianna Jackson was charged last Friday with felony second-degree battery and with cruelty to the infirmed, the 22nd Judicial District DA’s office said.

Jackson was arrested Oct. 6 after viral video of the incident spread. Another student made a cellphone recording of what police alleged was a premeditated attack on the 64-year-old, wheelchair-bound woman. Investigators said Jackson wanted to take part in a viral “Slap a Teacher” challenge spreading on Tik Tok. The social media platform denounced the dare and said it would remove any content related to it.

The Covington Police Department initially booked Jackson with battery of a school teacher, a crime punishable by 15 days to six months in jail. But after reviewing the case evidence, Montgomery’s office opted to charge Jackson with more serious felonies that expose the defendant to a potentially more severe penalty.

Jackson is to be arraigned on the charges Dec. 8 before 22nd Judicial District Court Judge Richard A. Swartz.

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