Inset: Erin Wheeler (Lexington County Sheriff's Department). Background: The SC Whitmore School in Columbia, S.C. (Google Maps).
A South Carolina woman once named "Teacher of the Year" was recently arrested for allegedly punching a child, law enforcement in the Palmetto State says.
Erin Wheeler, 34, stands accused of one count of unlawful neglect of a child, according to the Lexington County Sheriff's Department.
Wheeler is currently a special education teacher at South Carolina Whitmore School, an online charter high school in Columbia.
Late last year, Wheeler was arrested by sheriff's deputies over an incident that occurred last fall, according to an incident report obtained by Columbia-based NBC and The CW affiliate WIS.
On Nov. 27, 2025, Wheeler allegedly punched a child in the forehead, according to law enforcement. After the initial blow, the defendant allegedly followed the child into a bathroom and kept punching them in the forehead and the upper body, deputies claim.
The child, for their part, attempted to block the punches with their arms and sustained bruises as a result, according to law enforcement.
The alleged victim was not one of Wheeler's students and the incident is not alleged to have occurred on school property.
During a Jan. 15 hearing, the judge overseeing the case set the defendant's bond at $2,500 and issued an order prohibiting the educator from having any contact with the child in question or their family, according to a courtroom report by WIS.
The child's mother subsequently complained Wheeler received a "low bond," according to WIS. The defendant's attorney also spoke out, calling his client "a shining figure in the community."
In March 2025, Wheeler was named South Carolina Whitmore School's "2025 Teacher of the Year," according to a press release issued by the institution.
"Mrs. Wheeler consistently demonstrates a deep compassion for her students, earning the trust and respect of both students and families," principal Eboné Adams said in a statement about the honor. "Her unwavering commitment to advocating for and supporting them is evident in all her interactions. Beyond her work at SC Whitmore, Mrs. Wheeler represents our school on various committees, passionately sharing the importance of our mission and helping students across the state achieve success. We are incredibly fortunate to have her as part of our team, and her contributions are greatly appreciated. This recognition is well-deserved, and her colleagues wholeheartedly agree."
Since her arrest, however, Wheeler has been placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation, the school said.
In a statement provided to local media, the school elaborated:
South Carolina Whitmore School's administration was informed today of the arrest of one of its faculty members by the Lexington County Sheriff's Department. To the best of our knowledge, the incident leading to the arrest did not involve the employee's employment with South Carolina Whitmore School or any South Carolina Whitmore School student. The employee has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation.
While the sheriff's department described the charge against her as a lone count of child neglect, Lexington County court records reviewed by Law&Crime show Wheeler is charged under a statute that criminalizes unlawfully placing a child at risk of or causing harm.
The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years behind bars.
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