License surrendered by accused teacher in Brownsburg vomit-eating case

Brownsburg, Indiana – An unfortunate incident that occurred at Brownsburg Community School Corporation has resulted in the voluntary surrender of a teacher’s license. This action is related to accusations that two educators forced a pupil to consume his own vomit.

In connection to this incident, which transpired in February 2023, five adults have been charged, however, only two, Sara Seymour and Julie Taylor, held teaching licenses within the school system. The Department of Education subsequently asked both to willingly relinquish their licenses.

Seymour acquiesced to this request on June 7, as indicated in records filed with the Department of Education, culminating in the formal revocation of her teaching license.

Taylor, on the other hand, did not answer the Department’s request, resulting in a complaint filed by the department with the Office of Administrative Law Proceedings to force the revocation of her license. The Department claims in its complaint that Taylor failed to report the incident, asserting that she did not deem the event as abusive towards the child.

Following the event, all five employees involved either tendered their resignation or were dismissed, as they were recorded on video compelling a young student to eat his vomit.

Charges of neglect of a dependent and failure to report have been laid against Seymour and Debra Kanipe, a Life Skills Instructional Aide. Meanwhile, Taylor, Kristen Mitchell—an instructional aide—and Meghan King, a behavioral technician at K1ds Count Therapy, are facing charges for failing to report the incident.

Local law enforcement in Brownsburg first received a report of the child’s maltreatment during lunch on April 12. The incident, captured on surveillance video in February, wasn’t reviewed until two months later, when the report surfaced.

According to the probable cause affidavits filed against the adults involved, a search warrant-obtained surveillance video shows a teacher and an assistant pressuring a Brown Elementary School student to consume his vomit during lunchtime. The disturbing footage depicts an instructor warning the 7-year-old that if they choke and vomit, they would be forced to eat the vomit. Following the child’s regurgitation on a tray, another employee hands him a spoon, instructing him to eat his vomit. The video then shows the child consuming some vomit before being compelled to clean the tray.