A sign in front of McNinch Primary School in Moundsville is seen in this September 2020 photo. (File Photo)

MOUNDSVILLE — During fall 2025 — about a month into the new school year — a local elementary school teacher allegedly strangled one of her autistic students and was later arrested.

Two administrators were also arrested and charged in relation to the incident.

Former McNinch Primary School teacher Kiersten Moses, who resigned from her position on Oct. 5, was arrested for allegedly putting her hands around the throat of the 6-year-old student and squeezing. The student is non-verbal and autistic.

A teacher’s aide in the room reported the incident to her higher ups, but they allegedly did not take action regarding the incident. The aide informed McNinch Principal Jane Duffy, who informed Marshall County Schools Special Programs Director Erin Cuffaro, according to the criminal complaints.

However, neither Duffy nor Cuffaro allegedly reported the incident to the West Virginia’s Centralized Intake (CPS) hotline, which they were required by law to do as mandatory reporters. When questioned as to why she didn’t report the incident, Duffy allegedly showed a state trooper a text message from Cuffaro telling her to just talk to Moses about the incident and not give a verbal warning.

When the state trooper questioned Cuffaro, she allegedly told the trooper she did tell Duffy to give a verbal warning and claimed she never sent the text, showing the trooper her phone. According to the complaint, the trooper saw that all text messages in Cuffaro’s phone from when that message was sent and earlier had been deleted. Cuffaro allegedly later admitted she did in fact send the text.

The incident was recorded on video, according to a criminal complaint, and the trooper reviewed the video. In his report, he said he saw Moses interact with the girl near a door in the special needs classroom. The girl appeared to become agitated and advance toward Moses. Moses allegedly reacted by placing both hands on the child’s neck and squeezing for about six seconds.

According to the complaint, the school aide who witnessed the incident took the child to the nurse’s office, where the nurse took photos of red marks on the child’s neck.

According to the complaint, the trooper reviewed more video from Sept. 16, where Moses stood behind the child, grabbed the child’s arms and pulled them in a criss-cross behind the child’s back “in a needless and uncomfortable position.”

According to the complaints against Duffy and Cuffaro, the aide alerted Duffy to the incident and Duffy reported the incident to Cuffaro and both reviewed the video of the incident.

All three suspects in the case have pleaded not guilty to charges. Moses no longer works in the school system, while Duffy and Cuffaro were both suspended without pay pending the results of the investigation.

Moses is facing a felony count of strangulation, two felony counts of battery and assault of a disabled child and one count of felony child abuse. Her preliminary hearing is slated for 2 p.m. Jan. 29 before Marshall County Magistrate Court Judge Thomas Wood.

Cuffaro is facing eight counts of felony gross neglect of child creating a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury, one misdemeanor count of failure to report child abuse or neglect, one misdemeanor count of obstruction of law enforcement, probation, parole, court security, corrections officer with threats of harm, and one misdemeanor count of interference with officers or members and false information. Her pre-trial hearing is slated for 9 a.m. Dec. 30 before Marshall County Magistrate Court Judge Zachary Allman.

Duffy is facing one misdemeanor count of failure to report child abuse or neglect. She is slated to have a pretrial hearing at 10:15 a.m. Jan. 14 in magistrate court before Allman.