Oct 31, 2007 - Charni S. Dodson, 60, a Lafayette Middle School teacher, is on trial, along with her sister, on charges of cruelty to a juvenile, false imprisonment and obstruction of justice for treatment of an adopted boy.
Dodson was arrested in 2005 when the boy was 12. 
Prosecutors also allege that Dodson had lost custody of one of the boy’s sisters in 2002 after keeping her locked in a windowless room.Dodson was a respected teacher in the parish school system. She resigned before her arrest.
A state Office of Community of Services investigator testified that the sister was removed but the other two adopted children were allowed to remain in Dodson’s custody because they did not complain of similar treatment.
BENCH TRIAL Nov 1 - From the Daily Advocate: Before the trial could begin it was moved to a bench trial. The judge will be presiding over the case and deciding guilt or innocence. According to records from the Lafayette Parish Clerk of Courts, teachers who Dodson worked with at Lafayette Middle will be taking the stand.
GUILTY VERDICT Nov 1 - Dodson was found guilty of two counts of cruelty to a juvenile and one count of false imprisonment. Her sister was found guilty of two counts of principal to the cruelty to a juvenile and one count of false imprisonment.
SENTENCED Feb 20, 2008 - Dodson was sentenced to one year in prison, followed by four years' probation. Dodson's sister, Ellen Lea Carle, 59, also was convicted in the case and received six months in prison plus three years probation.
The judge said he considered the sisters' lack of criminal history and their contributions to the community, especially Dodson's reputation as a respected science teacher in Lafayette Parish.The Advocate pointed out that Dodson taught science at Lafayette Middle School and secured funding for many innovative wetlands study projects, including the small pond the sits next to the school.
