Teacher Arrested After 4-Year-Old Alabama Girl Ingested Ethanol on Her Watch: Police

A teacher was arrested in Alabama after a 4-year-old student in her care was taken to a local hospital with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at a dangerous level of nearly 0.29.

Tracy Walker, 56, was taken into police custody on Wednesday, May 21. The former special education teacher is charged with aggravated child abuse, according to the Mobile County Metro Jail records obtained by Fox 10 News.

At a hearing on Friday, May 23, the teacher’s bond was set at $25,000 by Mobile County District Judge Johana Bucci. Judge Bucci additionally ordered Walker to submit a drug and alcohol test as a condition of the bond, per WTVY News 4.

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The child, a student at Collins-Rhodes Elementary School in Mobile, Ala., was brought to the hospital by her parents on April 28, where doctors found high ethanol content in her bloodstream. According to the school website, Walker works as a special education teacher and has since been placed on administrative leave, per WTVY.

Defense lawyer Derrick Williams reiterated that Walker has no prior criminal history during the bond hearing, the station reports. He referred to Walker as an “achieved” 10-year employee with bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of South Alabama.

The case was initially investigated by the Prichard Police Department, but has since been transferred to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) as of May 6, per Fox 10.

PEOPLE reached out to the MCSO for comment, but did not immediately hear back.

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“During an interview conducted by MCSO Detectives with the 4-year-old child, the child reported that her teacher had given her a drink that made her feel sick,” the MCSO confirmed to CBS 42.

The child’s father told the station, “To us, that’s a step towards justice being served. I’m still trying to process it.”

A spokesperson for the Mobile County Public School System released a statement following the arrest, saying, “We take all allegations seriously. The teacher was placed on administrative leave when this allegation was first made.”

The statement concluded, “We have been cooperating with law enforcement on the investigation, and we will continue working with them.”

PEOPLE reached out to Walker’s defense for comment, but did not immediately hear back.