2 Coaches Arrested At Plaisance Elementary School In Questionable Discipline Incident

Keidrick Charles Owens of Sunset and Mona Wilson of Washington have been arrested after allegedly instructing certain students to discipline others by whipping or beating them at Plaisance Elementary School.

Major Eddie Thibodeaux with the St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office says the school's Resource Officer received a complaint that three older male students were disciplining three younger male students in the boy's gym locker at the coaches' orders. Major Thibodeaux says the older boys would lock the younger boys inside and hit them with belts. Investigators say Coaches Owens and Wilson more than once told the students to do this.

Then, the two coaches allegedly called the parents and told them not to cooperate with law enforcement.

“It was learned that Coach Mona Wilson contacted the parents via telephone and text advising them not to cooperate with law enforcement or school Principal Larry Watson that if they (Law Enforcement and the principle) did not know anything then nothing could happen,” says Major Thibodeaux. “Coach Wilson also spoke to a parent and advised her to have her son stick to the story of that was given to him.”

Owens faces the following charges:

• Malfeasance in Office
• Criminal Conspiracy
• Encouraging or Contributing to Child Delinquency, dependency or neglect

Wilson faces the following charges:

• Malfeasance in Office
• Obstruction of Justice
• Criminal Conspiracy
• Encouraging or Contributing to Child Delinquency, dependency or neglect

The three students that allegedly did the whipping were all charged with aggravated battery.

”Parents need to sit their kids down and ask them if any inappropriate misconduct whether it is bullying, unusual discipline tactics or inappropriate behavior is happening in their school and report it immediately,” says St. Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby Guidroz.