Maryland School Faces Backlash After Calling Second-Grader’s Hanging ‘Horseplay’

A Maryland school district is under fire after a second-grader was reportedly hung by the neck by a fourth-grader in a school bathroom. The incident occurred on November 15 at C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School in Waldorf, Maryland.

The victim’s mother shared the ordeal on social media, revealing her son was found unconscious and foaming at the mouth by the principal. He was rushed to a children’s hospital and is now physically recovering.

“My child was hung in the boys’ bathroom,” she wrote, describing the horrifying moment when she saw her son surrounded by doctors. She added, “Bullying is never OK.”

The mother emphasized the emotional scars left on her son, who still bears bruises and is struggling to recover mentally.

In response, Charles County Public Schools issued a statement, attributing the incident to “horseplay,” a claim that has drawn widespread criticism from parents and the community.