Police Arrest Former OKC Special Needs Counselor Accused Of Child Abuse

A woman who was supposed to be caring for special needs children is now accused of abusing one in her care. She was a counselor at Rose Rock Academy in Northeast Oklahoma City and was arrested Thursday in Logan County.

That former counselor is identified as Orlisha Nichelle Starks, 24, of Guthrie, and she worked the 3p.m. to 11p.m.shift at Rose Rock Academy over the summer. Court papers state the academy is for autistic children and also helps those with other special needs.

The Attorney General's office is the agency that filed the charges against this former counselor.

The affidavit states that on June 9th, one of the children at Rose Rock got upset for some reason, and threw his shoes at Starks and then threw himself to the ground. 

It goes on to say Starks slapped him twice in the face with one of those shoes. She then grabbed him by his shirt and roughly picked him up from the floor.

It was all caught on tape by the academy's surveillance cameras.

In a statement sent to News 9, Rose Rock Academy's Vice President wrote, "Ensuring the safety and security of our student is Rose Rock Academy's top priority. Regarding the alleged incident, immediately upon discovery, the appropriate authorities were contacted and appropriate actions taken. Rose Rock Academy has fully cooperated with the investigation."

The affidavit confirms Rose Rock Academy workers alerted authorities to the abuse and handed over a copy of the video proving it to investigators. Starks also admitted, during an audio and video recorded interview, that she indeed hit the child with his shoe.

Starks is currently in the Logan County Jail, facing one count of abuse by caretaker. If convicted she could face up to ten years in prison.