School Employee Arrested for Cruelty to a Juvenile

LORANGER (September 24, 2026)- The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office (TPSO) has arrested a paraprofessional for slapping a student at Loranger Elementary School.

Jeniell Barze, 55, has been booked into the Tangipahoa Parish Jail on one count of Cruelty to a Juvenile.

This morning (Thursday, Sept. 24), administrators at Loranger Elementary School received an official complaint about Barze slapping a 10-year-old special needs student in her classroom. A review of video surveillance confirmed the incident, and the principal contacted the TPSO School Resource Officer (SRO) assigned to the school. Barze was removed from the school and the child was assessed for injuries by school medical staff.

The TPSO wants to thank the Tangipahoa Parish Public School System for its continued partnership in ensuring all students are not only safe in their learning environments, but that they are cared for by those entrusted as their first line of protection.

TPSO Public Information Office, pio@tpso.org