A former Alabama teacher was arrested and fired after a video emerged allegedly showing her striking her child more than 20 times with a belt, police said. 

Randi Nicole Staples, a 44-year-old who worked at the Cottage Hill Christian Academy, is now charged with willful abuse of a child under 18, according to WALA. 

“Discipline is supposed to be for corrective action. That went way beyond that,” Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch said. “Snatch him up by his hair and yell and curse the way that she did, working for a Christian school, I thought was repulsive. It’s sickening to see somebody do that to their child.” 

The station cited the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office as saying that the alleged abuse happened after the child had not completed chores in the manner that Staples wanted them done.

CHICAGO RESIDENTS DEMAND ACTION, ACCOUNTABILITY AFTER MOB OF CHILDREN BRUTALLY BEATS MOTHER AND 9-YEAR-OLD SON 

“It’s almost like a dual personality. Because by all accounts, I’m told she is a good teacher and well respected. And yet what happens in the home is clearly opposite of that,” Burch also said, according to NBC 15. 

The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that, “A video recorded by a family member appears to show Randi Nicole Staples instructing her 12-year-old son to lay across the arm of their sofa inside the residence in Grand Bay, Alabama.”

“Staples then allegedly struck her son on his bottom and legs approximately 20 times with a belt, during which the son can be heard pleading for her to stop,” the statement continued, adding that deputies “interviewed several witnesses and found that other children living in the home had encountered similar actions.”

“There’s an adult who no longer lives in the home that has contributed some information that is significant to the investigation. This is an active investigation and we are continuing to interview others involved,” Burch said in a statement. “The other children in the home are in a safe place right now, that both parents agreed to, and that was our first priority. We want to make sure they are provided the services they need to move forward.
There could be additional charges forthcoming as this investigation unfolds.” 

KENTUCKY TEACHER ACCUSED OF EXPOSING HERSELF TO STUDENT DURING SHOWER VIDEO CHAT TO ARRANGE SEX 

The Academy, which has two locations in Mobile, told NBC 15 in a statement that it is “committed to providing a safe, nurturing, and Christ-centered environment for all students,” and that, “This commitment guides every action our school takes regarding student welfare and staff conduct.” 

“On November 19, 2025, school leadership was made aware of concerns involving the off-campus conduct of an elementary teacher toward her minor child at her personal residence. Although the incident did not occur on school property, the nature of the information required immediate administrative action,” the statement continued.

“Upon learning of the alleged misconduct, the school acted swiftly and decisively, relieving the teacher of her duties and placing her on administrative leave pending a full review,” it also said. “Following the findings of law enforcement, which determined that the teacher had engaged in improper conduct unrelated to her school responsibilities, an arrest was made and Cottage Hill Christian Academy terminated her employment in accordance with institutional policy.” 

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Staples was released from jail on Wednesday after posting a $7,500 bond, WALA reported. 

Fox News Digital’s Adriana James-Rodil contributed to this report.

Florida on Tuesday carried out its 15th execution of the year — a record under Gov. Ron DeSantis — putting to death Norman Mearle Grim Jr., who was convicted of raping and murdering his neighbor more than two decades ago.

A spokesperson for DeSantis confirmed 65-year-old Grim was pronounced dead at 6:14 p.m. after receiving a three-drug injection at the Florida State Prison near Starke, according to The Associated Press.

The spokesperson, Alex Lanfranconi, noted that Grim was asked if he had a final statement before receiving the injection, and he replied, “No sir.”

Lanfranconi also said there were no complications during the execution.

FLORIDA CONTINUES TO EXTEND RECORD EXECUTION YEAR WITH MAN PUT TO DEATH FOR KILLING WIFE’S FAMILY

Grim was sentenced to death after being convicted of sexual battery and first-degree murder in the death of Cynthia Campbell. The victim was reported missing in July 1998 and her body, which was battered, was found by a fisherman in the water near the Pensacola Bay Bridge.

Prosecutors made the case that Campbell suffered multiple blunt-force injuries to her face and head, consistent with those of being struck by a hammer. She also had 11 stab wounds in the chest.

When an autopsy was conducted on Campbell, it was discovered that seven of the 11 stab wounds penetrated her heart. Physical evidence, including DNA, tied Grim to Campbell’s murder.

FLORIDA BREAKS 50-YEAR EXECUTION RECORD WITH NINTH DEATH SENTENCE CARRIED OUT THIS YEAR

The U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976, and since then, the highest previous annual total of executions in Florida was set at eight in 2014.

This year, though, Florida has executed more people than any other state, followed by Texas and Alabama with five each.

Grim waived any appeal to his conviction earlier this month, despite being given a last chance to make an appeal to the Florida Supreme Court and U.S. Supreme Court.

FLORIDA EXTENDS RECORD EXECUTIONS WITH DATE SET FOR MAN WHO FATALLY STABBED COUPLE DURING ROBBERY

When he woke up at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, Grim had fried pork chops and mashed potatoes with a chocolate milkshake, the Department of Corrections told The AP. The spokesperson said Grim did not have any visitors, nor did he meet with a spiritual advisor before the execution.

Two more executions are planned next month in Florida.

Bryan Fredrick Jennings, 66, is scheduled for the state’s 16th execution on Nov. 13. He was convicted of raping and killing a 6-year-old girl in 1979 after entering through a window and abducting her from her central Florida home.

Richard Barry Randolph, 63, is set for Florida’s 17th execution on Nov. 20. He was convicted of the 1988 rape and fatal beating of his former manager at a Florida convenience store.

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Florida’s lethal injections are carried out with a sedative, a paralytic and a drug that stops the heart, according to the state Department of Corrections.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Former President Joe Biden, who holds the record for most popular votes in a presidential election in U.S. history, and former Vice President Kamala Harris were both at the top of the Democratic Party in 2024, but they overwhelmingly have been absent from the 2025 off-season election cycle as other big-name Democrats have been hitting various campaign trails to rally support. 

According to political pundits and lawmakers who spoke to Fox News Digital, their presence on the campaign trail likely would not generate warm welcomes following the fallout of the 2024 race. 

“The one thing you could probably get progressives and moderates inside the Democratic Party to agree on is that the Biden/Harris administration did not score very high marks,” former chief counsel to House Judiciary Committee Democrats Julian Epstein told Fox Digital Monday. “I’m not sure why any candidate would want to go to either of them who voters rejected in one way or another and to who are widely seen that leading the party into the wilderness.”

The nation is facing only a handful of big-ticket races in 2025, with four most notably garnering national attention: the Virginia gubernatorial race, the New Jersey gubernatorial race, the New York City mayoral race, and California’s special election to vote on a ballot measure that would redistrict the state’s congressional lines. 

THE ONLY GOP GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES RUNNING IN 2025 ELECTIONS LEAN INTO TRUMP’S MAGA CAMPAIGN TACTICS

The trio of elections in New Jersey, New York City and Virginia have especially attracted a handful of high-profile Democrats offering official endorsements of the candidates or traveling to those jurisdictions to help rally support among locals. 

Former President Barack Obama, for example, offered official video endorsements of New Jersey Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rep. Mikie Sherrill and Virginia Democratic candidate Abigail Spanberger earlier in October, and is scheduled to attend two separate rallies for the individual candidates Saturday. Former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and others also have joined the gubernatorial candidates at various campaign fundraisers and events. 

Biden and Harris have meanwhile been largely absent from the 2025 campaign fray. 

“Of course Democrats are running away from the disasters they created with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris,” Republican Rep. Andy Barr, who is running for U.S. Senate in Kentucky, told Fox News Digital. “It will take years to undo the damage they inflicted on our economy, our border, and our national security. Every Democrat on the ballot owns that record. Kentuckians will reject it and stand with us to fully advance President Trump’s America First agenda.”

Biden has not joined campaign events, with Fox News Digital also unable to find any public endorsements of 2025 political candidates as of Tuesday. 

Biden, notably, revealed in May that he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that had metastasized to his bones. Biden has taken a step back from the public spotlight since his administration ended, but he did attend an event Sunday, when he received a lifetime achievement award for inspired leadership from the Edward M. Kennedy Institute. 

TRUMP’S SHADOW LOOMS LARGE OVER HEATED RACES ONE MONTH BEFORE ELECTION DAY

“Friends, I can’t sugarcoat any of this. These are dark days,” Biden said during the event, adding that “our very democracy is at stake in my view.”

Biden received the most votes in U.S. history during the 2020 race, at 81,283,501 votes, beating Obama’s 2008 record of about 69,498,516 votes, and President Donald Trump’s 2024 election that delivered him 77,302,580 votes. 

Harris, meanwhile, is in the midst of an book tour to promote her new memoir, “107 Days,” which recounts her experiences on the 2024 campaign trail, including when Biden decided to drop out of the race July 21, 2024, and the party’s mad dash to rally around Harris as his replacement with just more than 100 days until Election Day. 

In New York City, socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is building endorsements and support from Democrats and left-wing members of the party, including New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. 

Harris did offer support for Mamdani’s nomination to lead New York City while on her book tour, but has not offered endorsement campaign videos, joined rallies or taken part in other official campaign events like her party colleagues, Fox Digital found. 

“Look, as far as I’m concerned, he’s the Democratic nominee, and he should be supported,” Harris told MSNBC of Mamdani’s candidacy in a September interview, before offering stronger support days later while recounting a phone conversation she shared with the candidate. 

OBAMA, PELOSI, OTHER TOP DEMS RESISTED INSTANT HARRIS ENDORSEMENT CITING NEED TO ‘EARN IT,’ ‘HIKING’ EXCUSE

When asked about Harris not having officially endorsed candidates in the three major 2025 elections, a spokesperson contended, “This isn’t true at all. I would do more research and come back to me when you’ve got the facts sorted out.”

When it was noted that Harris has made some favorable comments about Mamdani but has yet to offer him a more formal endorsement or appear with him, Spanberger or Sherrill, Harris’ team was similarly dismissive, pointing to fundraising emails and “events for senate candidates,” although there are no candidates for U.S. Senate in the 2025 race.

Harris did take part in a roughly two-minute prerecorded video message to young voters in July, as reported by the New York Post, rallying young voters to get involved in politics and stay committed to the “fight,” but did not cite specific campaigns. 

“Keep building your political power, keep building community, keep building coalitions, keep challenging the status quo,” Harris said in the prerecorded video. 

“And born out of our love for our country, keep fighting to build a country and a nation that works for everyone,” she said. “And I look forward to continuing in the fight alongside you. You take care.”

Gen Z conservative podcast host and political commentator Brilyn Hollyhand told Fox News Digital, when asked about Biden and Harris’ absences from 2025 races, “The Democrat party is a sinking ship of a party and they’ll be the Titanic at the bottom of the ocean come the midterms.” 

“They have no leader and no bench and their loudest voices are Jasmine Crocket and Zohran Mamdani,” he said. “They spent millions studying why Gen Z men fled their party? I’ll give them the answer for free: look in the mirror. They went so far to the left they fell off a cliff. Anybody running wants to stay as far away from claiming to be a Democrat as possible — it’s kryptonite.”

The Democratic Party has been trying to find its footing since Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race amid mounting concerns over his mental acuity that had simmered for years before reaching a roiling boil following his disastrous debate against Trump in June 2024. Party members began suggesting, and then outright encouraging, Biden drop out of the race and pass the torch to a younger generation. 

He ultimately dropped out and endorsed Harris. 

The departure from the race threw the party into a tailspin as it worked to build a presidential campaign with a new top-ticket candidate just a few weeks before the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

Former Trump official and Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate in Alabama, Morgan Murphy, told Fox News Digital that Biden and Harris “were never more than 2D media props, employed to disguise how radical Democrats have become.”

“This Halloween, soft socialists in places like New Jersey and Virginia are dressing up as moderates. Even they know that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are too toxic for voters in states they both won in 2020 and 2024,” he said. “At this point, Democrats are suffering from a bad hangover. Four failed years of high inflation, open borders, and foreign policy disasters is something democrats are trying to forget.”

Murphy argued that the Democratic Party has gone “full Marxist” and the “only endorsements that matter to their increasingly leftist base are from socialists like Bernie Sanders, AOC, and Zohran Mandani.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Biden’s office inquiring about the lack of official endorsements for candidates in 2025, considering he was president less than a year ago and garnered the most votes in U.S. history, but did not receive a reply. 

DEMOCRATS FRET RETURN OF JOE BIDEN, KAMALA HARRIS TO SPOTLIGHT AS PARTY TRIES TO ‘TURN THE PAGE’: REPORT

The trio of high-stakes gubernatorial and mayoral elections has set the various jurisdictions on edge in the final week of the election cycle. 

New Jersey has been eyed as a potential deep blue state to flip red following Trump’s inroads with voters during the 2024 cycle, with Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli criss-crossing the Garden State from its liberal strongholds to conservative farmlands to rally a Republican outpouring at the ballot boxes. 

The Virginia gubernatorial election pits a former Democratic lawmaker and CIA employee, Spanberger, against Marine veteran and current lieutenant governor Winsome Earle-Sears in a state considered purple and currently led by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin. 

The New York City mayoral race has gained widespread popularity as it pits a self-described socialist, currently in the lead, according to polls, against the state’s former Democratic governor and a longtime Republican candidate and fixture of the city. 

Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, is accused by conservatives and moderates of actually holding communist ideologies, and is facing off against former Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo — who remained in the race as an Independent after Mamdani defeated him in the Democratic primary — as well as Republican challenger and founder of the Guardian Angels, Curtis Sliwa. 

The trio of Democratic campaigns in New Jersey, Virginia and New York City did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on Biden and Harris’ lack of involvement this cycle. 

Election Day 2025 will be held Tuesday, and also includes the Boston mayoral election, Seattle’s general election, Pennsylvania Supreme Court elections and others. The 2025 election is seen as a bellwether ahead of the 2026 midterms, which historically results in the party holding the presidency losing seats in Congress.