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Clinton Township para-professional arraigned in court amid child abuse allegations

By FOX 2 Staff
Published  January 6, 2026 8:50pm EST
Crime and Public Safety
FOX 2 Detroit

The Brief

    • A former para-professional from Clinton Township was arraigned in court. 
    • She is accused of twisting a child’s arm and pinning the child to the ground with her knee.
    • She was arraigned on two counts of Fourth-Degree Child Abuse.

MACOMB COUNTY, Mich. (FOX 2) - A Clinton Township woman appeared in court on charges related to alleged child abuse while at an elementary school.

Big picture view:

Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido said on Tuesday that 28-year-old Annika Markesha Vinson was arraigned on charges related to her alleged behavior while working as a para-professional at an elementary school.

Officials say on Oct. 8 2025, Vinson worked as a para-professional in the special needs classroom at Cherokee Elementary in Clinton Township, where it is alleged she twisted a child’s arm and pinned the child to the ground with her knee and also hit another child's arm. 

Vinson was fired after Child Protective Services and police were notified and neither of the children suffered injuries.

"The allegations in this case are serious and deeply concerning, particularly because they involve a position of trust with vulnerable children. The safety of the residents of Macomb County remains my highest priority," said Lucido.

What's next:

On Jan. 2, Vinson was arraigned on two counts of Fourth-Degree Child Abuse. She was given a $5,000 personal bond and is scheduled for a Pretrial Hearing on Monday, Jan. 12.

Crime and Public SafetyMacomb County