Teen who set classmate's hair on fire is back in school, causing new worries

DEKALB COUNTY,  Ga. — A Georgia woman is furious after a teenager who set her daughter's hair on fire is back in the class.

Jessica Connolly's daughter is in 10th grade at Lithonia High School in DeKalb County. Connolly said she's worried about her child's safety after the boy who set her daughter's hair on fire returned to school.

“He was playing with a lighter and the whole classroom filled with smoke. The teacher put my daughter's hair out," Connolly said.

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According to the police report, the teen was arrested and charged with reckless conduct causing harm, and was handcuffed and hauled off to the DeKalb County Jail.

“Bringing a lighter to school, causing bodily harm to someone, you don't belong back in DeKalb County schools," Connolly said.

The teen, she said, was gone for several weeks, but recently returned.

“He was in the classroom with her and she felt uncomfortable. I kept my daughter out for four days," Connolly said.

Connolly said the school created a safety plan at that time that included the use of different hallways, different lunch times and no contact.

“That happened for four or five days," Connolly said.

Connolly said now that the teen is back in the classroom, he’s intimidating her daughter.

“He went up to her, (and said), 'I burnt your hair,” Connolly said.

“She felt very threatened by him," she added.

Connolly is worried and believes if the district isn't going to remove the teen from the school, he should at least be taken out of her daughter’s class.

“They can't keep my daughter safe from him."

Cox Media Group