2 St. Landry Parish coaches arrested for using older students to discipline younger students

Two St. Landry Parish coaches were arrested Tuesday and accused of using old students to discipline younger students at Plaisance Elementary.
St. Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby Guidroz identified the arrested coaches as Keidrick Charles Owens, 37, 100 block of Fox Trot Lane, Sunset; and Mona Wilson, 50, 900 block of South Prescott Street, Washington.
Both are charged with malfeasance in office; criminal conspiracy; and encouraging or contributing to child delinquency, dependency or neglect.
A school resource officer received a complaint involving three older male students disciplining three younger male students in the boy’s gym locker room at the coaches’ instructions, Guidroz said.
The older juvenile boys were instructed to take the younger juvenile boys one at a time to the locker room and whip or beat them, he said. Once in the locker room the older three boys locked the door and began striking the three younger boys with a belt, he said.
Guidroz said the investigation revealed the coaches more than once told the older students to discipline the younger students.
Wilson called and texted parents advising them not to cooperate with law enforcement or Larry Watson, principal, with the explanation of if the principal and law enforcement did not know anything, nothing could happen, Guidroz said.
“Coach Wilson also spoke to a parent and advised her to have her son stick to the story of that was given to him,” Guidroz said in the news release.
During the course of the investigation it was learned that this has happened in the past with one of the three older boys being instructed by Wilson to perform similar acts, Guidroz said.
The investigation did not reveal any wrongdoings by the principal.
The three older juveniles were charged with aggravated battery, Guidroz said.
“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,” Guidoz said.
The coaches were released on $2,500 bail, the news release stated.