Officials investigate alleged hanging incident at Maryland elementary school

School officials and the Charles County Sheriff's Office are investigating an incident at an elementary school in the county that has sparked concern after a young student's mother posted about it on social media.

In a viral post on Instagram, a woman alleged that her son, a second grader at C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School in Waldorf, was "hung" on Friday in the boys bathroom by a fourth grade student. She shared a photo of her son laying in a hospital bed.

In a letter sent to the school community on Friday, Principal Carrie Burke said two students were "horseplaying" in the school bathroom when "one student's jacket got caught on a stall door hook." The injured student's mother, however, pushed back against that description, telling The Washington Post it wasn't horseplay and saying school districts "shouldn't take bullying lightly."

In a statement about the incident, Superintendent Maria Navarro on Sunday said Charles County Public Schools would not be releasing additional information until the investigation concludes. In response to a request for comment on Monday, CCPS pointed to the statements from Navarro and Burke.

Here's what we know so far.

What allegedly happened?

In an Instagram post on Saturday, which has now received more than 699,000 likes, the woman said she received a phone call from the school saying her son was being taken to the hospital.

"The principal went into the bathroom & found my baby foaming out the mouth & unconscious," she wrote.

The young boy's mother has disputed the principal's claims that the incident occurred when her son was "horseplaying" with an older student, reported The Washington Post.

In the letter on Friday, Burke said the student caught on the stall door was "not able to free themselves" and the other student involved left the bathroom to "seek help from staff." School administrators responded and staff called 911, Burke said.

The woman said in an interview with The Post that the fourth grader told her 7-year-old son, "'I'm going to show you how I did people back in the day,'" before the older student deliberately hung her child. She told the Post her son couldn't breathe.

The Post did not name the student's mother, saying she wanted to protect her son's identity. The woman didn't immediately respond to requests for comment sent through social media.

In a different Instagram post Sunday, the boy's mother said she learned the identity of the other child involved but would not be sharing his name. "This isn't a race issue," she wrote, noting that the other child is African American. "This is a school/parent issue."

At the end of her post, she asked that people stop sending online threats, and if people feel inclined to protest, "I ask that you just please keep the peace."

The boy is reportedly home from the hospital and recovering.

How has the school responded?

In a letter the superintendent sent to the school community Monday, Navarro wrote that the school staff has gathered statements from staff and students and reviewed school camera footage.

"Based on our investigation so far, we have no reason to believe this was race-related or there was any intent for anyone to be hurt," she said. "However, disciplinary consequences following the CCPS Code of Student Conduct are being imposed due to the serious nature of this incident."

Navarro said news of the incident has traveled outside of the school community, and the attention has led to "serious threats as well as disturbing rhetoric circulating online." In response to the threats, she said there will be additional police resources at the school.

She said the district has reviewed protocol for student restroom use, which includes making sure students travel to the bathroom in pairs, and reminded staff to monitor the hallways and bathrooms.

Navarro on Sunday said the injured student was released from the hospital and is now at home. She reassured the school community in the letter that CCPS is not covering up what happened, contrary to online comments she has seen.

"The principal nor the school system are hiding anything," she wrote in her Sunday letter . "Rather, we are sharing what information we can while we conduct a full investigation."

She said speculation about what happened and the circulation of misinformation is impeding the investigation. She also referenced online comments directed toward staff, and said that "information circulating is alarming and involves heavy emotions," but noted "it does not warrant threats."

As the investigation with the Charles County Sheriff's Office continues, the superintendent said school administrators are supporting students, families and staff with mental health resources. School staff will also discipline any student who violates the CCPS Code of Student Conduct, as the safety of all students is a priority, she said.

Lastly, she said CCPS will not release any more information about the incident until the investigation concludes.