Parent of River Bluff High School student charged with assault released on bail

COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) – Students at River Bluff High School are contacting our newsroom in response to a reported altercation between a school employee and a student’s parent on Wednesday.

Many of them said they feared for their safety and they also gave us a first look at the incident.

The child’s mother was identified as Danielle Cato, 34. She was arrested on charges of disrupting school and third-degree battery.

A judge granted Cato bail early Thursday morning, and she was released from jail shortly after. According to an incident report I received today… Lexington investigators say they were called to the school about a suspicious person in the lobby. They later learned the person was a mother, and her daughter, who is a student at River Bluff High School, let her into the school.

The video was recorded by a student and has been shared multiple times on social media. It shows Cato dressed in black, confronting a woman wearing a pink shirt, identified as a school employee.

After being allowed into the school by her daughter, Cato allegedly walked around the main office and into the library where the altercation began in front of several students and other staff members, the report said.

The report then details statements from witnesses, many of them students and the employee seen in the video. In her statement, she said she was afraid Cato would physically assault her and even threatened to spit on her. That statement then says she continued walking toward the main office, but in the employee’s statement, she says Cato followed her before an officer intervened.

The report does not specify what prompted Cato to enter the school in the first place, but in the video he can be heard yelling, “You’re not laying your hands on my child” and “Bully me.”

The district says Cato was informed she would not be allowed to return to the property or participate in any Lexington School District One events.

Lexington School District 1 leaders issued this statement in response:

On Wednesday, September 18, 2024, River Bluff High implemented security procedures after an individual entered the school building without following proper visitor registration procedures.

Unauthorized persons are not permitted to enter school buildings or grounds. Any visitor to a Lexington One school must immediately report to the front desk for authorization before proceeding to any other part of the school building or campus.

As stated in the statement released by the Lexington Police Department, the individual, who is the parent of a current RBHS student, began behaving aggressively toward a school employee. The school implemented the Secure security procedure, and the school resource officer and other law enforcement officials intervened. After the individual was arrested by law enforcement, the school resumed normal operations.

The Lexington Police Department arrested the individual and she was charged with disturbing the peace and third-degree battery. At a hearing in Lexington County Bond Court on Thursday, September 18, the individual was informed that she is prohibited from entering any property or participating in any Lexington County School District One event.

District and school leaders are grateful that this was an isolated incident that was resolved quickly thanks to the rapid response of school employees, law enforcement and students.

We recognize and understand, however, that incidents such as this can be destabilizing. Psychological support is available for students and employees.

All safety concerns are taken seriously and we will continue to implement strict safety measures to reassure our students, employees and families that Lexington One is committed to providing safe and nurturing environments throughout our district.

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