Teacher picks up 3-year-old and drops her 5 feet to the ground, Illinois cops say

A Catholic school pre-K teacher is accused of injuring a 3-year-old girl by dropping her to the ground, according to Illinois authorities and news reports.

Lisa Jacobs, 44, has reportedly resigned from St. Ambrose Catholic School in Godfrey and was charged following the Dec. 3 incident.

According to charging documents, Jacobs picked up the toddler and “dropped her from about five feet off the ground.”

Jacobs was originally placed on administrative leave while the incident was being investigated, Father Steven Janoski said in a letter to families obtained by The Telegraph. The teacher resigned a day later.

The Madison County Sheriff’s Office said Jacobs has now been charged with aggravated battery. She is due in court Dec. 13.

Jacobs taught at St. Ambrose for 13 years, according to a Facebook post from the school.

“(St. Ambrose Catholic School principal) Mr. (Robert) Baird and I acted quickly and decisively when the situation was presented to us,” Janoski said in the letter. “Our priority is the safety of our children and we will always do what is necessary to ensure that safety.”

Godfrey is about a 35-mile drive north from St. Louis.

This story was originally published December 11, 2024 at 5:56 AM with the headline "Teacher picks up 3-year-old and drops her 5 feet to the ground, Illinois cops say."