Former DeKalb Superintendent Devon Horton arrested for assault, child cruelty
Former DeKalb Superintendent Devon Horton was arrested Saturday on felony assault and child cruelty charges.
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - The former DeKalb County Schools superintendent has been arrested, according to jail records.
What we know:
Devon Horton was arrested Saturday and booked into the DeKalb County Jail on charges of third-degree cruelty to children and first-degree assault. Horton was arrested by the DeKalb County Police Department; FOX 5 has reached out to the department for more information.
Horton resigned from his position late last year after being indicted on federal charges tied to his previous tenure leading Evanston/Skokie School District 65 in Illinois.
What we don't know:
It remains unclear what led to his recent arrest or if the alleged incident occurred during his tenure as superintendent.
What they're saying:
"The DeKalb County School District is aware of the reported arrest of former superintendent Dr. Devon Horton, which stems from an alleged incident not related to the school district," a district spokesperson said in a written statement. "As this is an active legal matter with law enforcement, the district has no further information to share and will not be making additional statements. The safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our highest priority."
Local perspective:
DeKalb County’s superintendent search concluded in April 2023 with Horton as the sole finalist. Two weeks later, the board voted 6-1 to approve his contract, ending months of uncertainty and sparking new controversy.
The decision came after heated public forums in which parents and educators raised questions about his leadership record and a 2021 federal lawsuit from his Illinois district that accused officials of promoting "race-based programming."
Former DeKalb County School Board member Dr. Joyce Morley told FOX 5 in December that the board was aware of previous bankruptcies and an ongoing criminal investigation in Evanston before hiring Horton.
"The board already knew," Morley said. "We had an anonymous package sent to us last year, August 2024, that showed about 14 indictments that they were suggesting."
The Source: Information in this article comes from FOX 5's Sam Daniel reviewing jail records, reaching out to officials for statements, and past reporting on Horton.