Sopchoppy, FLORIDA

Arrested on charges of second-degree murder of 15-month-old boy.

March 6, 2008 -
Jeffrey Duggar, 38, a teacher at Sopchoppy Education Center, was arrested on charges of second-degree murder in connection with the death of a 15-month-old boy. The mother was a student of Duggar's about 11 years ago at Wakulla High School. She has two other children.

Duggar picked up the boy on Christmas Eve. When his mother called to get him the next day, Duggar said they were in Georgia. On New Years' Eve, Duggar called 911 to report that he had rolled over on James and that the boy had stopped breathing. After the boy died, he was found with bruises that appeared to be weeks old. Duggar said the boy had fallen in a bathtub and down stairs.
An autopsy concluded the toddler died from blunt-force trauma. The sheriff's office says Jeffrey Duggar beat the boy so badly in December, he bled from his eyes and brain.

Duggar is an exceptional student education teacher for grades six through 12 at Sopchoppy Education Center. ESE students can include students with learning disabilities to those who are gifted, The school also has programs for students with disciplinary problems and adults seeking their GED.

Duggar was charged earlier with witness tampering in a case where another teacher was accused of having sex with a student. Those charges were dropped. TT entry.
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Wakulla County Sheriff's Office Press Release (undated)

Reminder: Location is always for school.

INDICTED May 6 - The grand jury indicted Duggar on a first-degree murder charge.