Beaumont Substitute Teacher Arrested On Suspicion Of Child Cruelty

BEAUMONT – A substitute middle school teacher in Beaumont was arrested on suspicion of child cruelty for allegedly harming one of her students, authorities said today.

Kimberly Lavon Fleming-McBeth, 34, was taken into custody Thursday afternoon after students at San Gorgonio Middle School told the principal that she had allegedly abused a classmate, according to Beaumont police spokeswoman Darci Carranza.

“The incident took place at approximately 8:15 a.m. during a morning class period,” Carranza said. “There were no visible injuries to the student involved in the incident.”

The details of what transpired were not disclosed.

According to Carranza, Principal Brian Wood summoned police officers, who spoke with the alleged victim and witnesses, leading to Fleming-McBeth’s arrest on suspicion of misdemeanor willful cruelty to a child.

Fleming-McBeth was booked into the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning, where she posted $2,500 bail and was released the same day.

Beaumont Unified School District Superintendent Barry Kayrell said Fleming-McBeth passed a pre-employment background check.

“The school district took immediate action to terminate the substitute teacher’s employment and notified the state to ensure that she does not come in contact with any more students,” Carranza said.