CARLA NOAH STUTSMAN
A paraprofessional who worked in a special education classroom at Walnut Creek Elementary not only lost her job but has been arrested and faces a charge of injury to a child following an incident that occurred Feb. 26 inside that classroom.
Cayla Rae Thompson, 23, of Azle, turned herself in at the Tarrant County jail in Fort Worth March 11 and was charged with injury to a child/elderly/disabled person with intent to cause bodily injury. She posted bond in the amount of $10,000 and was released from jail the same day. The charge can be a felony in the third degree. However, if recklessness is involved, the charge may escalate to the second degree. If the injury was intentional or knowingly caused physical pain, illness or impairment, it could be escalated to a first-degree felony.
According to Azle Independent School District Superintendent Todd Smith, the district conducted an internal investigation the afternoon it occurred and the following morning. At the conclusion of its initial investigation, parents of each child in the affected classroom were notified about the incident the morning after it occurred.
As required by law, the incident was also reported to the Texas Education Agency as well as the Department of Family and Protective Services. Per state law, Smith said all incidents involving suspected abuse must be investigated by an outside law enforcement agency; therefore, the Azle Police Department, rather than the Azle ISD Police Department, is investigating the incident and filed the case against Thompson.
The district also sent a statement to all families within the district the day Thompson was arrested, March 11, to inform them of the situation. Both the letter to parents of students in the classroom and the statement to all families can be read adjacent to this story.
Citing the open investigation, both the school district and the Azle PD declined to provide details about the alleged crime. However, according to Smith, the incident was captured on the school’s security cameras; that footage has been preserved and provided to the Azle PD for investigative purposes.
“The type of behavior we witnessed on our cameras will not be tolerated by any Azle ISD employee, and will be handled immediately, which we did in this case,” Smith told The Azle News March 12.
Letter to classroom parents:
February 27, 2026
This letter serves as written notice of an incident that occurred with paraprofessional Cayla Thompson at Walnut Creek Elementary on February 26, 2026. Texas law requires that parents be notified of certain misconduct involving any student. Azle ISD is in direct communication with the family involved, and we take this matter seriously.
Azle ISD has complied with all state-mandated reporting requirements, including notice to local police, the Department of Family and Protective Services, and the State Board of Educator Certification. The paraprofessional has been terminated.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your child, please contact Assistant Superintendent Jessica Hanson at [email protected].
Sincerely,
Jessica Hanson
Assistant Superintendent
Azle ISD
Statement to district families:
Azle Families:
An incident involving a former paraprofessional at Walnut Creek Elementary occurred on Thursday, 02/26/2026. The same day, Azle ISD terminated the employee and reported this incident to law enforcement and other state reporting agencies, and also notified all parents in the class where the paraprofessional assisted.
Azle ISD is now aware that paraprofessional Cayla Thompson has been arrested on charges of Injury Child/Elderly/Disable with Int/Bodily Injury. Azle ISD is working in full cooperation with the Azle Police Department and will continue to do so as the investigation moves forward. Because this is an active criminal investigation, the District is limited in the details we can share due to both the ongoing investigation and personnel confidentiality laws.
Azle ISD does not tolerate conduct that jeopardizes student safety or dignity and remains committed to providing a safe and supportive learning environment for all students.
Anyone with information or concerns regarding this case or related offenses is asked to contact the Azle Police Department at 817-444-3221.
