Family says the 12-year-old was “scripting” a video game; school officials cite policy and police involvement.
MARIETTA, Ga. — A 12-year-old student with autism was charged with two felony counts after he shouted violent phrases during a January lesson at Hightower Trail Middle School, according to family and school documents. The boy, identified by relatives as Jadon Ringland, was accused of making terroristic threats in a special education classroom in Cobb County.
The case has drawn attention because the student’s mother, Tovah Ringland, says her son was “scripting,” a behavior associated with autism in which a person repeats words heard elsewhere. The incident set off a months-long dispute over whether school staff followed the child’s behavior plan before police were contacted. A juvenile court hearing was scheduled for Aug. 9, with the family pushing for dismissal and the district pointing to procedures it says were followed. The stakes are immediate for the seventh-grader, whose record and placement could be shaped by the outcome.
On Jan. 29, during a science lesson in a self-contained class for students with autism and intellectual disabilities, the child raised his voice and referenced burning teachers and the school, language his mother says he picked up from a popular video game he plays with his older brother. He was escorted to a sensory room for a brief cooldown, emails between the teacher and the family show. Days later, the family received a call from juvenile court notifying them that a felony count had been filed. “It boggles my mind,” Tovah Ringland said, describing how she learned of the charge after an administrative suspension she believed had resolved the matter. She said her son did not grasp the gravity of the situation and considered the phrases pretend.
Classroom records show the student has a behavior intervention plan that lists “loud scripting” and “verbal threats to harm” as behaviors that can occur and outlines steps for staff, including asking whether the language is a quote or pretend. The family contends those steps were skipped before police were called and says a second allegation—about a remark on a school bus two weeks earlier—was news to them until it appeared in documents. A district spokesperson said staff followed policy during an administrative suspension and that school police and prosecutors handled any criminal filings. The district also said special education teachers receive training and behavior specialists support staff, while declining to release discipline records that are confidential.
The mother said her son’s favorite game includes a “fire bottle” sequence, and that he tends to repeat what he hears when overstimulated. A psychologist who trains Georgia educators in autism strategies, not connected to the case, said students can rely on scripting when they are confused or anxious and that discipline conflicts sometimes arise from mismatched responses in the classroom. The family says the child admitted he sometimes likes to “get in trouble” to go home, a comment they described as immature logic rather than intent. They argue that the focus should have remained on de-escalation within the framework of his education plan instead of moving to criminal charges.
The episode unfolded as the boy returned from a more restrictive program to a neighborhood school. His class included a special education teacher and a paraprofessional, according to the family. After the January incident, he was kept on an administrative suspension before returning briefly to class. The family addressed the school board in mid-July to ask for better cross-checks between behavior plans and discipline referrals and to add training so classroom staff can respond consistently when scripting occurs. The district said it could not discuss individual student matters but added that it follows state guidance when working with families to craft and implement individualized education programs.
Legally, the case sat in juvenile court ahead of the competency hearing set for Aug. 9. The family hoped the judge would weigh the autism diagnosis and the documented behavior plan in deciding whether to continue or close the case. Prosecutors had the option to proceed, divert, or dismiss. A defense outcome could steer whether the child’s records remain sealed or whether additional services are added through the education plan. If the matter is resolved in court, school administrators could still review placement and support levels in upcoming meetings.
Outside the courthouse, the conversation widened. Advocates for students with disabilities said the matter illustrates how classroom behaviors linked to disability can collide with criminal statutes when protocols and training are uneven. “Teachers are doing the best they can with what they’ve got,” a Georgia autism specialist said, adding that consistency is crucial. Parents who watched the case said they worry about the long-term effect on children labeled early in life. “Our prisons are full of people who are disabled,” the boy’s mother said, calling the experience “terrifying” for her family and an unnecessary use of public resources.
As of Monday morning’s hearing date, the family sought dismissal and a reset focused on education supports. Any court decision would guide next steps on the child’s school placement and services, with the district indicating it would continue to follow state guidance for special education. The family said they would share updates after the proceeding.
Author note: Last updated January 28, 2026.