CHARLES COUNTY, Md. – A bathroom incident involving two elementary school students at C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School on Friday escalated into a 911 call and a viral social media post, raising questions from the community and parents.
School officials described the event as “horseplay,” stating that a second-grader’s jacket became caught on a stall door hook in the boys’ bathroom during an interaction with a fourth-grader. Unable to free the child, the older student reportedly left the restroom to seek assistance from a school administrator.
The mom posted the following message on Instagram:
my son who attends a school in Charles county has experienced something no child should have never in life experience. My child who is a 2nd grader was hung in the boys bathroom by a 4th grader. I received the most traumatizing phone call from the school stating that my child was being rushed to children’s hospital in NW. The principal went into the bathroom & found my baby foaming out the mouth & unconscious. I walked into the trauma room with 8-10 doctors surrounding my son. This is the most heartbreaking & traumatizing situation my family has ever been in. Although I’m not the one to to bring my personal life onto social media however social media has a big platform and this is a story that I want told. To bring awareness to other parents & students by any means. Everything about this is unacceptable nothing about this is ok BULLYING is never ok. I’m feeling anger & seeing red but my son is here by the grace of GOD and I will forever be thankful ! I have so many questions left unanswered. I thank everyone for all the calls check ups & prayers.
An administrator was able to help the student, but a staff member called 911 as a precautionary measure. The child was transported to a hospital, prompting a social media post from the student’s mother that gained significant attention.
In the Instagram post, the mother described the situation differently, alleging that her son “was hung in the boys’ bathroom by a 4th grader.” She shared a photo of the child in a neck brace at the hospital and wrote, “I received the most traumatizing phone call from the school stating that my child was being rushed to children’s hospital in NW.”
In a letter to parents and staff, Principal Carrie Burke acknowledged the incident and addressed confusion over initial reports that labeled the event as a possible suicide attempt. Burke stated that the administrative team worked to dispel inaccuracies and emphasized that the matter was managed quickly and appropriately. The incident was also reported to the school resource officer.
The viral post has amplified parental concerns, with many seeking additional clarity on the events.