A former teacher at a Port Huron Head Start program will be headed to pre-trial next Monday, April 24, facing four charges of assault and battery and two counts of fourth degree child abuse.
Cody Williams of Port Huron was arraigned April 13 on the charges that stem from an anonymous report last December by a teaching assistant at Blue Water Community Action’s Head Start Program, where he is alleged to have assaulted seven children in the program, which caters to children ages three to five.
Williams is no longer employed at the head start program, with Blue Water Community Action’s Executive Director Melinda Johnson informing parents in a letter home at the end of March 2023 of the report, which ultimately led to two staff members being fired after a day-long investigation on December 15, 2022.
Though the State Licensing Agency, Child Protective Services and the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office began their investigations in late January, Blue Water Community Action informed families of the matter on March 31, 2023, two days after learning that the St. Clair County Prosecutor’s Office would be pursuing the six misdemeanor charges against Williams.
On Tuesday, April 11, the Blue Water Community Action’s Board of Directors met in closed session to consider a written legal opinion from the Board’s attorney. Two days later, Williams’ pleaded not guilty to the six charges at Thursday’s arraignment, also having bond set for $20,000.
He is due back before District Magistrate Mona Armstrong at 1:00 p.m. this coming Monday.
