Litigation surrounding an alleged battery at a local Catholic school is delaying the school’s expansion.
Augusta Circuit District Attorney Jared Williams dismissed battery charges against Kasey Brooks in September after the Crawfordville mom completed anger management and conflict resolution training.
Brooks was charged with battering a daycare worker in 2021 at St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church in Grovetown.
Brooks claimed video showed worker June Barrow abusing her nonverbal two-year-old, Hatcher.
Authorities who reviewed videos from the school declined to prosecute Barrow, but charged Brooks with misdemeanor battery.
In August, Brooks filed a lawsuit against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Savannah, St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church and Barrow.
She claimed the school was aware of her son’s special needs and that Barrow confirmed this by saying her grandson had similar issues.
Barrow sued Brooks within days of the 2021 incident.
Her complaint said Brooks was warned her son’s actions would get him expelled from daycare, but “took no action to improve her child’s behavior.”
Brooks’ attack on Barrow in an empty classroom showed her tackling, hitting, punching and biting the 61-year-old and using profanity within earshot of children, Barrow’s suit claims.
Barrow is asking for current and future medical expenses, lost earnings and compensation for pain and suffering, the suit says.
Brooks voluntarily dropped her lawsuit last month, according to court records.
Barrow’s case remains open and has a hearing scheduled Feb. 10.
St. Teresa’s, meanwhile, is citing the litigation in its decision to postpone opening the new Avila Catholic Academy.
The school’s physical facilities are 90% complete, but hiring administration and faculty “has slowed us down considerably,” a Christmas Eve church bulletin message stated.
The civil suit against the daycare program “was completely dismissed on the criminal court side,” while “we hope to have the same verdict now on the civil court side,” it said.
While Brooks dropped her lawsuit, the school won’t open until next year.
After “much consultation” with the Diocese, including Diocese of Savannah School Superintendent Carrie Jane Williamson, the school will delay opening until the 2025-2026 school year, it said.
“We are all disappointed, but believe this is what is best for the long-term success of our school,” it said.
Susan McCord is a staff writer with The Augusta Press. Reach her at susan@theaugustapress.com
