JONESBORO, Ark. — Jury trials have now been scheduled for four defendants charged in a high-profile Craighead County case in which prosecutors allege a teacher orchestrated what authorities described as a “child fight club” inside a classroom at ENGAGE School.
Court records show that Mary Tracy Morrison, the school’s founder and a teacher, is scheduled for a jury trial beginning May 11, 2026, and continuing through May 15. A pretrial hearing in her case is set for 9:30 a.m. May 6, 2026. Court notes entered Jan. 14 indicate that approximately 350 jurors are being summoned for the trial.
The charges stem from an investigation that began April 17, 2025, after a parent reported that her child had been the victim of alleged abuse at the school, located at 1919 Craighead County Road 333. Craighead County Sheriff’s Office Detective David Bailey was assigned to the case.
According to the probable cause affidavit, the alleged abuse occurred when the child was made to sit in the center of a circle of approximately 18 other juvenile students, with Morrison seated in the circle as well. Investigators wrote that the incident appeared to be disciplinary in nature, though the affidavit states it is unclear what precipitated it.
“Dr. Morrison could be seen on video and heard on audio during this incident,” Bailey wrote in the affidavit.
The document alleges Morrison encouraged other students to mentally and physically abuse the victim. Bailey wrote that Morrison was observed placing her hands on the child multiple times and striking the child with an unknown object. The affidavit further alleges that Morrison told other students they could punch the victim.
“Dr. Morrison verbally berated the child the whole time as she watched many of the other students sitting around the circle punch, kick, and choke the juvenile victim sitting inside the circle,” Bailey wrote. “After the first juvenile choked the juvenile victim, Dr. Morrison can be seen giving the juvenile a high five, displaying her pleasure with the student’s actions.”
Investigators said the alleged abuse escalated from physical to psychological, with Morrison asking students to comment on things they disliked about the victim’s appearance. Several students spoke up, according to the affidavit. During that time, Morrison was allegedly seen striking the child again with an unknown object and, at one point, telling a student they could hit the victim in a private area.
“One student hits the victim pretty hard, and Dr. Morrison asked the student if the victim had ever made fun of them,” Bailey wrote.
The affidavit states the incident lasted approximately 30 minutes and ended with Morrison instructing the child to apologize to the other students and telling them she did not want the incident discussed again.
Bailey also reported that three school employees, Katherine Lipscomb, Michael Bean Jr., and Kristin Bell, entered the classroom during the incident but did not intervene. All three are identified as mandated reporters in the affidavit.
The Arkansas Department of Children and Family Services was notified and was present at the school when law enforcement served a search warrant to obtain audio and video recordings of the incident. The probable cause document also alleges that an individual went to multiple teachers and instructed them not to cooperate with investigators or DCFS. During earlier court proceedings, Prosecuting Attorney Hagood cited potential witness tampering as a concern.
Based on the investigation, Bailey requested arrest warrants for Morrison and the other defendants. Each defendant is charged with 11 counts of permitting child abuse, a Class D felony; 18 counts of contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile, a Class A misdemeanor; and first-degree failure to notify by a mandated reporter, a Class A misdemeanor.
In addition to Morrison’s trial date, court records show jury trials have been scheduled separately for the remaining defendants. Lipscomb’s trial is set for May 26 through May 29, 2026. Bean’s trial is scheduled for June 1 through June 5, 2026. Bell’s trial is set for June 8 through June 12, 2026, with each trial scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m.
All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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The defendants should never be allowed to work in child care services ever again 😑 🙄 😒