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Teachers charged with forcing students to strip naked for punishment at East St. Louis preschool

Shavonda Willis and Mary Agbehia are accused of making at two young boys strip naked—or forcibly removing their clothing—and making them stand nude in a classroom closet as punishment.

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. — Two teachers at an East St. Louis preschool accused of forcing students to strip naked for punishment have been charged.

Shavonda Willis and Mary Agbehia were each charged with aggravated battery and unlawful restraint, St. Clair County State’s Attorney James Gomrick announced Wednesday afternoon.

The women are accused of making two young boys strip naked—or forcibly removing their clothing—and making them stand nude in a classroom closet as punishment.

Willis also is accused of placing an object on a 3-year-old girl’s arm and pretending to give her an injection.

READ MORE: Investigators say 4 students forced to strip naked for punishment at East St. Louis preschool

The incidents reportedly happened while the teachers were working at a preschool run by SIU-Edwardsville inside the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center in East St. Louis. Police responded to the school on March 14 for a report of child abuse. Another child told police they witnessed the punishments.

“I want to emphasize how brave these little kids have been coming forward and talking to us about these incidents,” SIU-Edwardsville Police Chief Kevin Schmoll said.

Schmoll said the unusual punishment was isolated to one classroom.

Bond was set at $5,000 for Willis and Agbehia. They were not in custody when charges were file, so police do not have booking photos for the women.

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