A South Carolina woman faces allegations of pretending to be another person to secure employment at an elementary school, where she reportedly assaulted a student with special needs.
Bryia Lattimore Scott was arrested two weeks ago and faced an initial charge of identity fraud for illegally securing a job. Authorities announced that Scott has been charged with an additional count of felony unlawful conduct towards a child, more than a week after her initial arrest related to the alleged attack.
The Laurens County Sheriff’s Office reported that earlier this month, the Laurens County School District 55 reached out to deputies about someone allegedly pretending to be another person to secure a job at Waterloo Elementary. The school is located approximately 185 miles to the northwest of Charleston, South Carolina.
An investigation later uncovered that Scott had been impersonating an individual named “Viola Church” when she started working with the district in September as a temporary special education teacher. On December 19, 2024, she was arrested for identity fraud and subsequently released on a $5,000 personal recognizance bond.
Scott, who served as a teacher during her short time at the elementary school, was officially employed by Aya Healthcare, a digital staffing platform that partners with the district, according to Fox affiliate WHNS in Greenville, South Carolina. Aya focuses on connecting traveling nurses with job opportunities and proudly claims to be a top player in workforce optimization on its website.
A representative for Aya expressed to The Post and Courier that the company was “deeply disturbed” by the claims against Scott, alleging that she created false documentation regarding her identity.
“We are reviewing this matter and will work with the appropriate authorities, but due to the ongoing legal case, we are unable to provide any further specifics,” Aya spokeswoman Lisa Parks reportedly wrote in an email to the newspaper.
Becca Craine, mother of one of Scott’s students, informed the Courier that an anonymous tipster notified the school principal about the real identity of “Ms. Church.”
On December 20, just a day after Scott was taken into custody, a “worried parent” reached out to the sheriff’s office to report a “event involving Scott and a child in the same classroom,” according to a subsequent release from the office.
“Upon further investigation by the Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Unit, it was determined that Scott assaulted a special needs child on December 18th,” the release states. “The assault was reported to the administration of the school on December 18th by concerned aides working with students in the same classroom.”
Scott faced arrest again on December 30, facing charges of unlawful conduct.
“I want to commend the teachers aides for stepping up and reporting this incident involving one of their co-workers,” Sheriff Don Reynolds said in a statement. “I am thankful for them being forthcoming, as we all share concern for the wellbeing of these children.”