CHARLES COUNTY, Maryland (DC News Now) — Charles County parents and community members said they were concerned about transparency from school officials after an incident in a primary school toilet sent a child to the hospital on Friday.

According to a letter sent to parents at C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School by principal Carrie Burke, two students were in the bathroom “playing horse” when one of their jackets got caught on the stall hook toilet and they could not free themselves. The other student ran for help and school officials called 911.

The child has since been released from the hospital and is now at home, according to a letter sent Sunday by Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) Superintendent Maria Navarro.

Since the incident, community members have expressed their frustration.

“I just think it’s unacceptable,” said Patrice Allen, a community member showing support for the injured child’s family.

“I was immediately concerned what happened to the point where this child had to be sent all the way to the children’s hospital? This normally indicates that there is a serious problem. Just a little ruckus or whatever could potentially happen; it could have become fatal. And that concerns me as a parent,” said Dayna Jones, parent of two CCPS students.

Melick McCreary’s little brother is in 2nd grade and says the injured child is his brother’s classmate. McCreary wasn’t happy when his younger brother told him what happened.

“It upset me because I think teachers should supervise children better,” he said.

A woman who claims to be the child’s mother published on social networks sharing what she said happened. The post also made reference to harassment and has since been widely circulated. DC News Now reached out to the woman but has not heard back.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: CCPS responds after school bathroom incident sends child to hospital, Sheriff’s Office investigates

Many people have expressed concern about the school’s lack of transparency.

“I think sometimes there are challenges with the level of information that they share with parents,” Jones said.

In a statement Sunday, Superintendent Maria Navarro addressed the public’s concerns. She wrote that she had seen comments online “indicating that the school and CCPS are covering up what happened” and that “this is not true.” Navarro said officials are sharing what they can while authorities investigate.

“There are so many things happening that we don’t know about. And if you’re not in a group chat, you have no idea what’s going on in your own neighborhood,” Allen said.

Monday morning, a rally organized by Charles County Moms of Color was canceled out of respect for the family of the injured child. The aim of the rally was to demand transparency, accountability and safety measures following the “traumatic” incident.

“I just think about educating parents and making sure something gets to them. At least talk to their kids about different things, like playing in the bathroom or making sure they stay focused throughout the day. I think, you know, a lot of the time kids think they’re doing things as a joke, but it could have serious consequences,” Jones said.

The Charles County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports and streaming video, visit DC News Now | Washington, DC.