Honk News (Plaquemine, LA) – An incident on the sidelines of an elementary school basketball game in Louisiana last week resulted in two women being arrested and one requiring hospitalization.
On Monday, Jan. 13, the principal of Iberville Elementary School in Plaquemine, Iberville Parish, observed students playing basketball after school when she noticed two small children wandering onto the court.
To ensure the children’s safety, the principal relocated from her designated area in the school gymnasium and guided them away from the ongoing game — a measure she took at least twice, as reported by the outlet that acquired surveillance footage of the event.
A video captures the principal lifting a young student away from the court while encouraging another to follow suit.
In her ongoing attempts to shield the children from the commotion, she signaled to a mother passing by who had “three kids in tow,” accompanied by a friend, as reported by Plaquemine Police Chief Stephen Engolio.
The principal subsequently advised the mother, identified by authorities as Alessia Parker, to “keep [her] kids off the basketball court” as it “disrupts the whole game,” according to the police chief. Parker, 33, clearly reacted strongly to that, Engolio shared with WAFB, hinting at her response, which was recorded on the surveillance footage.
The footage from the sidelines shows the mother, gripping one child’s hand while carrying another, becoming noticeably distressed as she approaches the principal closely. The principal raises a hand towards Parker, who then seemingly strikes the educator in the head.
“The [principal] puts her hand up to kind of keep her off her and [Parker] just punched her, knocked her out of her chair,” Engolio said of the altercation.
An officer from the Iberville Sheriff’s Department was present at the game and quickly intervened to separate the two women. Parker’s strike made an impression on the principal.
Authorities reported that she sustained a “busted lip” and a head injury, leading to her being transported to the hospital, according to WAFB. According to another Louisiana outlet, WBRZ, she returned to work the next day.
“She’s okay now,” Engolio said of the educator, “but it was a pretty brutal attack.”
Parker surrendered the following day, leading to her arrest by Plaquemine Police. She faces charges for resisting officers, disturbing the peace, and felony battery against a school teacher, as reported.
Jemecia Godchaux, another woman reportedly connected to the incident, has been arrested.
Engolio described Godchaux, 37, as Parker’s “cohort,” claimed that she was “kind of egging it on, made some threats and was cussing people out, too.” The media source has not shared any video evidence regarding Godchaux’s participation in the altercation.
Godchaux was taken into custody, and authorities noted that, as reported, she also had at least one additional outstanding bench warrant.
Iberville Parish School Board Superintendent Dr. Louis Voiron expressed to both outlets that the Louisiana school system “would not tolerate the type of behavior” displayed by Parker and Godchaux during the basketball game.
The superintendent announced that both women are prohibited from entering any schools within the system.