Florida group home employee charged with abuse after allegedly battering nonverbal child
01/27/2026 4:00 pm PST
LARGO, Fla. (TCN) -- A woman employed at a group home has been arrested for child abuse after allegedly battering a 12-year-old with autism.
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office announced that on Dec. 21, 2025, deputies responded to an incident at a group home after a father noticed his child was injured at pickup. The child allegedly had bruises on their arms and neck and scratches on their face and hands.
Detectives reviewed surveillance footage from the group home, which allegedly showed Shannon Cooper, 38, excessively battering the child. According to the statement from the sheriff’s office, “Cooper was seen pulling the victim around by their collar, striking the victim unprovoked multiple times, straddling the victim and forcing her weight upon them, throwing the victim into furniture, and taking the victim into rooms that were known to not have cameras.”
According to the sheriff’s office, Cooper is also employed at a childcare center in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Cooper was arrested and charged with child abuse on Jan. 21 and booked into the Pinellas County Jail, according to the sheriff’s office.
The investigation is ongoing.
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