A Florida mom has been accused of beating her middle school daughter and sending her to school in a T-shirt that flaunted the child to have gotten a "good woopin" for getting bad grades.
Melany Joyce Alexander was arrested on Friday for beating her daughter with a metal-studded belt before attempting to publicly shame her with a T-shirt announcing the child's failing grades, according to the Hernando County sheriff's office. The 30-year-old is facing child abuse charges.
The T-shirt, with handwritten text covering both front and back, shamed the child for earning Fs in all of her classes and further warned her friends to "back off before I get another good woopin like I got last night," NBC News reported.
"My name is (word removed) I currently have all F's in all of my classes. I am not aloud to have a boyfriend no time soon. So back off before I get another good woopin like I got last night," the text read.
"Also I can no longer have ANY friends until ALL of my F's are ALL brought up to C's and up!!! So unless you are helping me with this goal... BACK OFF!!! My eating french fries & being a social butterfly is over because I know why my parents send me to school. I now know the education. I will learn. I will listen to my teachers and be respectful, at all times. I will do these things because I am failing (word removed) due to my social life. Want to be my friend :) Help me by not!!!"
Out of concern over the child's attire, a deputy responded to West Hernando Middle School, north of Tampa, last Friday. After examining the child's body with a social worker, they found "clear impressions" and numerous bruises from her shoulders down to her wrists, according to the arrest affidavi.
When the child admitted to having been struck by a belt on Thursday, Alexander was arrested for giving out an "excessive" punishment, according to Department of Children and Families.
Meanwhile, the 30-year-old suspect is being held with a $2,500 bond and was ordered to not have contact with the child. It is unclear if she has an attorney, New York Daily News reported.