LIVE OAK — The mother of a second-grade student is alleging child neglect at Suwannee Elementary School.

Beth Butler said on Tuesday, her child’s teacher refused to allow her son to go to the bathroom. 

Butler said her son asked to go to the bathroom and was told no. 

She added that after a second request was denied, her son urinated himself.

According to Butler, the child did not tell the teacher because he was afraid he would get into trouble. 

Butler said a student saw the puddle under the desk and announced it to the classroom. 

The teacher made the child stay in the soiled seat until she returned from recess, Butler said.

“She made my child pee himself,” Butler said. “He didn’t have an accident. She deprived him of a bathroom and then publicly humiliated him by making the whole class leave and make him sit down.”

According to the Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office, the incident is under investigation and will be turned over to the State Attorney’s Office for a decision on whether to pursue charges. 

Sheriff Sam St. John said statements obtained from Butler and the teacher differ.

“My child will not return to Suwannee County, he will go to Lafayette County or wherever I have to take him and I will sue Suwannee County,” Butler said. “And if that teacher does not get arrested I will pursue it to the fullest because that was child neglect.”

“It will probably be swept under the rug because it is Suwannee County,” Butler said. 

Superintendent Ted Roush said the timeline of the facts and the events that unfolded Tuesday are not accurate as they have been reported.