Alpharetta couple accused of using cattle prod on 12-year-old

ALPHARETTA, Ga. - An Alpharetta couple was recently arrested after allegedly using an electric shock device for cattle on their 12-year-old child.

Alpharetta police first got word of this case on Monday when the 12-year-old told his school about what happened.

Detectives were called to Hopewell Middle School to investigate reports of abuse of a student.

Police say a 12-year-old student's parents were allegedly using a cattle prod to discipline him.

"It delivers an electric shock, and you use it to direct or guide livestock. And we discovered here that parents were actually using that on their 12-year-old child," Capt. Jakai Braithwaite said.

Shanna Parker, the boy's biological mother, and Richard Henderson, the boy's stepfather, were arrested for the alleged abuse. They both face cruelty to children and simple battery charges. They were booked into the Fulton County Jail. Police say the 12-year-old is now with his biological father.

"We got here because of the courage of a 12-year-old boy who reported this to his administrators and that gave us the opportunity to swiftly intervene and then hold the actors accountable," Braithwaite said.

Fulton County Schools representatives aren't able to comment on specific cases but did say all district staff are mandated reporters and are required to report any potential or alleged abuse.

"The system worked, the process worked," Braithwaite said.

"There's a fine line between good old corporal punishment, which is spanking, and abuse, and here in this case, this was abuse. When it comes to our most vulnerable members of the community, we treat this with high priority," he added.