Inset: Tounya Wright (Durham Public Schools). Background: Eno Valley Elementary School in Durham, North Carolina (WNCN).
A North Carolina elementary school principal faces serious legal trouble after allegedly misleading law enforcement during an investigation into a disturbing incident involving a special-needs student. Tounya Wright, age 60, was indicted last week on multiple charges, including three counts of obstructing justice and one count of perjury.
The case revolves around photographs received in November 2024, which showed a 6-year-old girl with autism tied to a chair using a jump rope at Eno Valley Elementary School in Durham. Wright is accused of deceiving investigators about the origin and delivery of these images.
According to police, Wright initially claimed that the photos had been slipped under her door anonymously. However, this account was allegedly false. A warrant suggests that Wright, along with other school officials, engaged in a “coordinated effort to deflect liability.”
Authorities now assert that a school janitor discreetly took the photographs and sent them to a secretary, who then forwarded them to Wright via text message. Additionally, Wright is accused of lying about the timing of when she received the images, which was reportedly several days prior to her initial statement. State law mandates that school personnel promptly report any signs of child abuse to law enforcement.
Following the incident, two teacher’s aides resigned in December 2024. One of them was subsequently arrested on charges of child abuse. However, a significant development emerged when the janitor disclosed that the aide in question was not present on the day the photos were taken, casting doubt on the allegations. As a result, prosecutors decided to drop the charges in November.
The indictment against Wright accuses her of acting “with deceit and intent to defraud, and in secrecy and malice,” highlighting the gravity of the accusations she now faces.
“In summary, Principal Wright’s credibility is undermined by her shifting explanations regarding how she received the incriminating photo of the victim, the timing and method of her reporting the incident to Human Resources and law enforcement, and her knowledge of the source of the photo,” police wrote in the warrant. “Her accounts conflict not only with each other but also with testimony and documentation from other witnesses, particularly regarding the chain of custody for the photo and the identity of the initial reporter.”
Two other administrators, Tanya Janique Giovanni, a deputy superintendent, and Ayesha Hunter, senior executive director of employee relations, also were indicted on obstruction charges.
Wright resigned as principal, local NBC affiliate WRAL reported. She has a court date set for Feb. 5.
