JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Lake Shore Middle School employee was arrested Wednesday on a charge of child abuse, a Duval County Public Schools spokesperson confirmed.

Tia Smith, 43, was booked into the Duval County Jail Wednesday afternoon, online records show. She faces a charge of child abuse without great bodily harm, a third-degree felony.

DCPS said Smith was employed as a paraprofessional at the school, and her arrest follows a “physical interaction with a student.” No other details about the incident were shared by school officials.

“We are in direct contact with the family of the student involved, but wanted to ensure our entire school community was aware of what took place,” Lake Shore Middle School Principal Latasha Clark said in a message to parents Wednesday.

Clark said Smith was removed from the school and will be in a position that does not involve student contact as an internal and external investigation takes place.

DCPS said Smith was hired by the district in 2023. She was later rehired in August 2024 after resigning for personal reasons.

The following message was sent to Lake Shore Middle School families:

“Hello Lake Shore Middle School families, this is Principal Clark calling with disappointing news regarding one of our staff members. This staff member, Tia Smith, who works as a paraprofessional at the school, was arrested today on charges of Child Abuse Without Great Bodily Harm following a physical interaction with a student. We are in direct contact with the family of the student involved, but wanted to ensure our entire school community was aware of what took place. While the presumption of innocence applies, this individual has been removed from the school and will be in a position without student contact while internal and external investigations take place. Again, i Thank you for listening to this message.”