A former Dayton Schools employee will not spend time in jail after attacking an autistic 3-year-old boy at Rosa Parks Early Learning Center in August 2023.
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As reported News Center 7 at 6 p.mDarrick Sorrells was given five years probation in Mongomery County Common Pleas Court.
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News Center 7 spoke with Braylen Tootle’s parents about this outcome.
“They asked us what we wanted and we told them we wanted jail time,” Taneshia Lindsay said.
Lindsay and Robert Tootle were in the courtroom during Sorrells’ sentencing.
‘That school left me with those children. I shouldn’t have been with those kids.’ That was the first thing out of that man’s mouth,” Lindsay said. “It was the first time I heard him talk and we just noticed that he wasn’t aware of what was really going on. That it was a serious situation. There was no emotion.”
News Center 7 obtained video showing Sorrells pushing Tootle to the ground and then carrying him by his ankles.
In February, a judge ruled that Sorrells was temporarily incompetent to stand trial.
Montgomery County prosecutors said his jurisdiction was restored in September. Sorrells shortly after pleaded guilty to assault and child endangerment.
Braylen’s parents have dropped their original civil lawsuit against Sorrells and Dayton Public Schools, but they told News Center 7 they plan to file a new one.
“There are still questions that need to be answered because we haven’t gotten any answers in this case,” Tootle said.
“I feel like a failure that the man was put in a position of authority over my child,” Lindsay said.
News Center 7 reached out to the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office and the Montgomery County Courts for more information, but both were closed in observance of Veterans Day.
We also reached out to Dayton Public Schools but have not heard back yet.
News Center 7 will continue to follow this story.
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