Utica mother demands answers after teacher allegedly forces child to clean bathroom

UTICA, Mich. (FOX 2) - An angry mother is asking for answers after she says her special-needs son was forced to clean up another child's urine by a teacher.

What they're saying:

9-year-old Reese Davis attends Ebeling Elementary School, which is part of Utica Community Schools, and now his mom, Kaitlynn McCarthy, is struggling with a recent incident at his school.

"His principal made him clean up another child’s urine off of the bathroom floor because he was the last one in the bathroom, so that made him responsible," she said.

The mom says the principal informed her that students must clean up after themselves.

"It’s the teacher's classroom policy," she said. "It’s not her job or the custodian’s job to clean up urine off the floor. She gave him a piece of paper towel, he sat it on the puddle of urine, he stepped on it with his foot and cleaned it up. The principal told me that before she could pick the soiled paper towel, Reese picked it up with bare hands."

Since McCarthy says her son has special needs, she says it’s even more difficult for him to process this traumatic experience.

Dig deeper:

FOX 2 requested an interview with the superintendent but received a statement which reads:

District protocols require that our facilities staff or other trained personnel clean and manage our restrooms and classrooms. Currently, the situation is being investigated to ensure that proper protocols are understood and being followed within the building.

But McCarthy says they still need answers.

"Reese’s dad and I are going to be seeking legal help," she said.