Alpharetta Police have charged a registered behavior technician with felony child cruelty and battery after a 16-year-old boy with autism was allegedly attacked at ABA Centers of Georgia in February.

Tracy Baptiste faces one count of first-degree cruelty to children and one count of battery. She was charged in June 2026 and posted a $10,000 bond, according to FOX 5 Atlanta, which reviewed court and jail records.

Baptiste's attorney, Lubin An, said his client "unequivocally maintains her innocence" and contends she acted appropriately and in accordance with established safety protocols during a difficult behavioral incident.

What the mother reported

Sybil Lane, the boy's mother, told FOX 5 Atlanta she called police after picking up her son from the Alpharetta facility on Saturday, February 7 and seeing injuries on his body.

"He was very upset and showed me his neck," Lane said. "He had scratches on the side of his neck where it looked like somebody had dug their nails into. He had bruises on his shoulder, on his arm and on his back."

Lane said a therapist at the facility told her an incident had occurred that day. Her son, who can communicate verbally despite his autism, later identified Baptiste as the person who attacked him, according to Lane. The teen had been attending ABA Centers of Georgia for about a year.

Lane said her son required intensive outpatient treatment after the alleged incident. The family has since moved, and she said he is doing better.

Defense and facility response

An, Baptiste's attorney, asked that reporting "recognize that allegations are not evidence" and that "the available evidence, including eyewitness accounts, supports her position." He declined to make Baptiste available for an interview.

ABA Centers of Georgia would not confirm whether Baptiste remains employed at the facility. In a statement, a spokesperson said all clinical team members receive initial and ongoing training, including specialized instruction on safely responding to behaviors such as aggression. The spokesperson cited HIPAA and federal privacy laws in declining to discuss the case further.

Alpharetta Police said they could not comment on specifics, citing privacy laws around child abuse cases.

What's next

The case remains active in the courts. No next court date has been publicly confirmed. Baptiste is presumed innocent unless convicted.

How to report suspected child abuse: Contact the Alpharetta Police Department at 678-297-6300 or the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services hotline at 1-855-422-4453.