Who is Nicole Staples and why was the Alabama 'Teacher of the Year' arrested after a video surfaced? Case explained

Randi Nicole Staples is a 44-year-old teacher from Mobile, Alabama. She was arrested on child abuse charges. A video shared online showed her hitting her 12-year-old son in a private home. The video was posted on Facebook for a brief period before it was removed. This incident resulted in her losing her job.

Staples, a teacher at Cottage Hill Christian Academy, was named the “Teacher of the Year” in May 2025. Following the video's release, the Mobile County Sheriff's Department confirmed that the child in the video was the son of Staples. Officers shared the footage, and it shows her striking him several times with something that appears to be a belt or a strap and then ripping his hair and shouting at him.

Sheriff Paul Burch from Mobile County discussed the matter and described her actions as unacceptable by any measure of parental discipline.

“People are entitled to discipline their children how they choose, but that went well beyond discipline. It was abuse,” he said (via NBC 15). “And it was sickening to see somebody repeatedly strike their child, then grab them by the hair and yell and curse at them. I think the last strike was across his arms there was never any question or doubt that she was ultimately going to be arrested.”

Sick Nicole Staples, a 44-year-old former Mobile teacher was arrested and fired after a disturbing video showed her hitting a child with a belt.

The older brother said the incident started because his younger brother had not completed his chores. pic.twitter.com/jzbiVQwciz

— Sumit (@SumitHansd) November 20, 2025

Nicole Staples’ arrest led to felony charges and her termination from Cottage Hill Christian Academy

After Randi Nicole Staples's arrest, officers took Staples to the Mobile Metro Jail. Authorities charged her with felony willful abuse of a child under 18. Through her lawyer, Louis Hale Jr., she pleaded not guilty and requested a preliminary hearing to initiate the legal process.

Although the incident occurred on personal premises, Cottage Hill Christian Academy intervened on the same day it was notified about the allegations, on November 19, 2025. Staples was initially put on administrative leave and fired by the school. They emphasized in their official statement that they would maintain student safety and cooperate with the authorities.

“Cottage Hill Christian Academy is committed to providing a safe, nurturing, and Christ-centered environment for all students. This commitment guides every action our school takes.”

It was mentioned that the school collaborates with different agencies. These are the Mobile County Sheriff's Office, the City of Mobile Police Department, the Department of Human Resources, and the Mobile County District Attorney's Office, as they continue their investigation.

The officials have not provided any updates regarding the child's status or the progress of the legal process. The case remains under investigation, and new information related to the case may be provided in several weeks.