FL - Group home employee charged with abusing 12-year nonverbal autistic child - LARGO, Jan 2026

[Clearsky]

https://www.pinellassheriff.gov/Contents/ContentItems/4c3ygwjqe3fh54340tscw6jrx5

During the investigation, detectives reviewed surveillance footage from the group home which shows 38-year-old Shannon Cooper excessively battering the victim. Cooper was seen pulling the victim around by their collar, striking the victim unprovoked multiple times, straddling the victim and forcing her weight upon them, throwing the victim into furniture, and taking the victim into rooms that were known to not have cameras.

 

[mpnola]

I ran several community homes for 16 years. Nothing angers me more than staff members who exert their control and anger against the most vulnerable population. It is not ok! The only good thing is they generally prosecute them pretty hard. She deserves it.

 

[tlcya]

Cooper is also employed by Retmus Academy of Learning, located at 2800 26th Avenue South in St. Petersburg.
Group home employee accused of abusing non-verbal autistic child in Largo

which apparently per their signage offers infant toddler and preschool care along with after school care for older children. So lots and lots of small potential victims to be found there. Just uggh.

 

[mpnola]

Cooper is also employed by Retmus Academy of Learning, located at 2800 26th Avenue South in St. Petersburg.
Group home employee accused of abusing non-verbal autistic child in Largo

which apparently per their signage offers infant toddler and preschool care along with after school care for older children. So lots and lots of small potential victims to be found there. Just uggh.

I'm not saying this is her situation, but I did find that the women (99% of my staff were women) who had the least control in their own lives (in an abusive relationship, etc) were the most likely to find their "control" and exert it over my highest need clients. It was an odd dynamic, since you would think they knew how it felt and wouldn't want to put someone else in that situation. But more often than not, the abuse situations were my staff who were in crisis. No excuses!!!!! Just an observation. I was also a zero tolerance director. I would have them arrested on site and pressed charges every time. I did not play with abuse.

 

[tlcya]

I'm not saying this is her situation, but I did find that the women (99% of my staff were women) who had the least control in their own lives (in an abusive relationship, etc) were the most likely to find their "control" and exert it over my highest need clients. It was an odd dynamic, since you would think they knew how it felt and wouldn't want to put someone else in that situation. But more often than not, the abuse situations were my staff who were in crisis. No excuses!!!!! Just an observation. I was also a zero tolerance director. I would have them arrested on site and pressed charges every time. I did not play with abuse.

I agree, I too have witnessed the dynamic you describe. Very similar to other types of abuses that victims carry forward into their own adult lives to visit upon another in times of stress or when feeling their most vulnerable. I hope this woman is never again placed in a position of power over the vulnerable. She needs serious help.