US EditionPolice Investigating Report of School Staff Member Feeding Madison Nonverbal Student Dog Food
A staff member at Madison East High School gave dog food to a non-verbal autistic student, prompting an investigation and staff retraining, the district said.
- On Feb. 26, 2026, the Madison Metropolitan School District confirmed one staff member was placed on leave after a parent reported the incident and said it takes safety concerns seriously while investigating.
- Police records show the incident occurred Feb. 13 and was reported to police around 9 a.m. Feb. 24, while a Madison East staff member sent a photo of an open can of Nutrish wet dog food eaten by the student a few weeks ago.
- Family members added that Jaden, a 15-year-old student, said `He looked like he ate a little bit of salt and at least three, 4 or 5 bites` and that `Jaden hasn't been himself`, Hawkes said.
- District spokesperson Edell Fiedler said the Madison Metropolitan School District is reviewing staff procedures and will provide additional snack protocol training but cannot share details due to privacy laws.
- Investigators note the Madison Police Department's Special Victims Unit is leading the investigation, with the staffer placed on leave and reports of firing from Hawkes remain conflicting.
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16 Articles
Wisconsin School Staffer Suspended After Autistic Student Allegedly Served Dog Food
A Madison, Wisconsin, family is demanding accountability after a shocking incident at Madison East High School in which a 15-year-old non-verbal autistic student was reportedly fed dog food instead of a school-provided lunch. The incident, which occurred several weeks ago, has raised serious concerns about staff oversight, student safety, and protections for vulnerable students. Debra...
Mom says school staff fed her autistic son dog food for lunchEmail This LinkShare on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedIn
A mother in Wisconsin said someone at her son’s high school served him a can of dog food for lunch. (Source: WISC, DEBRA HAWKES, CNN via CNN Newsource)
Police investigating report of school staff member feeding Madison nonverbal student dog food
The Madison Police Department is investigating a report that a Madison School District staff member fed a nonverbal high school student dog food. The staffer is on leave.
Wisconsin mother says school staff fed autistic son dog food
MADISON, Wis. (WISC) — A Madison mother is demanding accountability after she says staff at Madison East High School fed her autistic son dog food instead of a school lunch. Debra Hawkes says her 15-year-old son Jaden, a freshman who has autism and is non-verbal, was given a can of wet Nutrish dog food by a staff member a few weeks ago. “I don’t feel like my son is safe at school. And (if) you can’t be safe in school, where could he be safe at?”…
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