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Lyons woman accused of neglect and violation of compulsory school attendance law

A Lyons woman is accused of educational neglect because her child has already been absent from school for at least 20 days since school started in early August.

Lena Christine Woodall

Lena Christine Woodall, 39, Lyons, was arrested by Lyons Town Marshal C. Royce Honeycutt on Tuesday, September 28, on a warrant that was issued for her arrest last Friday.

Investigator Julie Criger from the Greene County Prosecutor’s Office reported school started at White River Valley Middle School on August 5 and by September 17, Woodall’s child that attends WRVMS had been absent from school on 20 days and was failing all classes.

Criger reported school personnel including a counselor and principal as well as a DCS family case manager and Criger, have been involved in trying to contact Woodall by phone or at her residence every couple of days since August 11 to set up a meeting or discussion about getting the child in school regularly, without success.

Last Friday, a criminal case was filed against Woodall and a warrant issued.

Woodall was booked into the Greene County Jail at 12:13 p.m. Tuesday with bond set at $4,500 surety with ten percent cash allowed. She posted $450 and was released later the same day.

Woodall is scheduled to appear in Greene Superior Court for her initial hearing on October 18 on charges of:

  • Neglect of a dependent – defendant deprived dependent of education as required by law, a Level 6 felony,

  • Compulsory school attendance violation, a Class B misdemeanor.