Teacher who cut her wrist arrested on molestation charge

<p>A third grade teacher who slit her wrist in front of her class has been arrested on suspicion of molesting a student, police said.</p><p>Georgianne Harrell, 24, apparently used a piece of broken glass to cut open one of her wrists in front of 21 pupils in her class on May 4, said Sylvester Police Chief Tony Strenth.</p><p>"I don't know if it was a cry for help or she was just trying to scare them or what," Strenth said. He said the cut drew blood but wasn't deep and didn't require stitches.</p><p>As police investigated the incident, a boy in her Holley Elementary School class told authorities about two molestation incidents that happened this school year, Strenth said. He would not elaborate on what the boy said happened.</p><p>Harrell was arrested Tuesday and charged with two counts of aggravated child molestation. She remained in Worth County Jail Wednesday and had not talked to police on advice of her lawyer, Strenth said.</p><p>Police still aren't sure what to charge Harrell with for the wrist-slitting. She resigned from her teaching job last week.</p><p>"We're still trying to figure that out," Strenth said. "We could have 21 victims here."</p><p>Superintendent Gary Russell described Harrell as "popular with the kids" and said the school district had no prior problems with her employment.</p><p>Counselors have been brought in to the class, and the students have a new teacher, he said.</p><p>"It's just an unfortunate situation. Hopefully we're going to get through it," Russell said.</p><p>Sylvester is about 20 miles east of Albany in south Georgia.</p>

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