72°
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
7 Day Forecast
Follow our weather team on social media

2 On Your Side with Brittany Weiss is here for you.

Watch 2 On Your Side reports on all WBRZ News 2 newscasts: morning, noon, afternoon and evening.  Brittany Weiss is the 2 On Your Side anchor/reporter.  Check this page daily for helpful information and On Your Side reports.

Send tips to OnYourSide@wbrz.com

INVESTIGATIVE UNIT: Baker school system employee accused of sexual battery returns to working at school

BAKER - A City of Baker School System employee accused of sexual battery is back at work and now trying to clear his name.

The WBRZ Investigative Unit has filed several reports on Rodney Craig. Two women who have come forward allege inappropriate interactions between them and Craig while on the job. In one case, a police report has been filed.

Cindy Hamilton says the past few weeks have been terrible for her and fears returning to her bus route. She has been on leave since reporting an inappropriate interaction at the school board office supply warehouse with Rodney Craig.

Attorney Robert Tucker is handling Craig's case.

"It has definitely tarnished his reputation and that's why we're here to clarify that all of the accusations against Mr. Craig at this time have been found unfounded," said Tucker.

Craig is back at the office as the case makes its way through the legal system, he's facing a charge of sexual battery from the Baker Police Department.

"I feel like the system has failed me because I'm the victim and I'm not being treated like that," said Hamilton.

The incident has caused Hamilton stress. She says what she experienced on March 5, 2024, at her job with Craig haunts her.

"It has caused me a lot of trauma, I have been seeking counseling since the day that it happened," she said.

Hamilton says she was looking for cleaning supplies to clean her bus in the warehouse at the Baker School Board Office.

"All I felt was him come up behind me, I felt his body pressing all up against mine, the back part of my butt and everything, and when I turned and I pushed him off of me and the only thing that he can do was take his hand and put it on his penis and told me that was for me," said Hamilton.

Hamilton says she initially reported it to the school system, but when Craig called on the phone, she went to police.

"I went and got a restraining order," she said.

The Baker School System website says Craig is the Plant & Facilities Operations Technician.

"He has returned to work, he has been working as a dutiful employee with Baker School System," said Tucker.

Craig's attorney shared a document from Superintendent James Stroder about his administrative leave. The document says Craig requested to be placed on administrative leave on March 25, 2024. After meeting with the Superintendent, Craig returned to work after April 18, 2024. His return is based on the condition that Craig is to be aware of his surroundings and not place himself in situations where he might be alone with staff members. The document says if there are any more complaints involving sexual harassment and Craig is found alone with a staff member, it can be grounds for disciplinary action, including termination.

Antonia Caine used to be the Principal of Baker Middle School. She explained an interaction she had with Craig last year.

"He touched my shoulder, then each time he would go down, he touched my back and then he touched my butt," said Caine.

Following the incident, Caine says she reported it in writing and in person.

With Craig back at work, Hamilton feels unsettled about returning to drive the school bus.

"I don't feel comfortable with going back, I really don't," said Hamilton.

Superintendent Stroder said last month that because this is an active ongoing criminal investigation, he cannot comment.

Grid
List
BAKER - A City of Baker School System employee accused of sexual battery is back at work and now trying... More >>
11 hours ago Thursday, May 02 2024 May 2, 2024 Thursday, May 02, 2024 6:30:00 PM CDT May 02, 2024 in News
BATON ROUGE - People living along Paige Street in Baton Rouge have been dealing with a flooded street and soggy... More >>
2 days ago Tuesday, April 30 2024 Apr 30, 2024 Tuesday, April 30, 2024 6:49:00 PM CDT April 30, 2024 in News
PORT ALLEN - A West Baton Rouge Parish Councilman has been given 120 days to fix up his property or... More >>
3 days ago Monday, April 29 2024 Apr 29, 2024 Monday, April 29, 2024 7:11:00 PM CDT April 29, 2024 in News
BATON ROUGE - A developer says he purchased a lot to build someone an affordable house. The company hired crews... More >>
6 days ago Friday, April 26 2024 Apr 26, 2024 Friday, April 26, 2024 10:38:00 PM CDT April 26, 2024 in News
BATON ROUGE - One woman tells 2 On Your Side a piece of property owned by her and her brother... More >>
1 week ago Thursday, April 25 2024 Apr 25, 2024 Thursday, April 25, 2024 10:40:00 PM CDT April 25, 2024 in News
BATON ROUGE - Local artist Raymond Marmillion III died from a heart attack on Saturday. The artist, whose work... More >>
1 week ago Tuesday, April 23 2024 Apr 23, 2024 Tuesday, April 23, 2024 7:18:00 PM CDT April 23, 2024 in News
BATON ROUGE - A church is extra thankful for the generosity of its community after a ticket company hired to... More >>
1 week ago Tuesday, April 23 2024 Apr 23, 2024 Tuesday, April 23, 2024 12:39:00 PM CDT April 23, 2024 in News
PONCHATOULA - One woman says her husband's license is suspended over a late fee that occurred while paying off an... More >>
2 weeks ago Thursday, April 18 2024 Apr 18, 2024 Thursday, April 18, 2024 3:44:00 PM CDT April 18, 2024 in News
BATON ROUGE - For the past two and a half years, Kathy King has been fighting with Entergy over a... More >>
2 weeks ago Wednesday, April 17 2024 Apr 17, 2024 Wednesday, April 17, 2024 3:42:00 PM CDT April 17, 2024 in News
GONZALES - Truck loads of dirt are being hauled in to cover up red dust left behind at a closed... More >>
2 weeks ago Tuesday, April 16 2024 Apr 16, 2024 Tuesday, April 16, 2024 6:19:00 PM CDT April 16, 2024 in News
BATON ROUGE - Piles of trash are accumulating along Greenwell Street under I-110 in Baton Rouge and some fed-up homeowners... More >>
2 weeks ago Monday, April 15 2024 Apr 15, 2024 Monday, April 15, 2024 10:02:00 PM CDT April 15, 2024 in News
BATON ROUGE - People living along Aberdeen Avenue in the Southdowns neighborhood of Baton Rouge are excited to see their... More >>
3 weeks ago Wednesday, April 10 2024 Apr 10, 2024 Wednesday, April 10, 2024 7:14:00 PM CDT April 10, 2024 in News
BATON ROUGE - A neighborhood is at its wits end after the city's traffic engineering department came back and told... More >>
3 weeks ago Tuesday, April 09 2024 Apr 9, 2024 Tuesday, April 09, 2024 7:32:00 PM CDT April 09, 2024 in News
BATON ROUGE - One woman came home from work last week to a green notice on her door saying she... More >>
3 weeks ago Monday, April 08 2024 Apr 8, 2024 Monday, April 08, 2024 8:00:00 PM CDT April 08, 2024 in News
BAKER - A woman says she is also a victim of sexual misconduct by a Baker School System employee who... More >>
3 weeks ago Friday, April 05 2024 Apr 5, 2024 Friday, April 05, 2024 3:53:00 PM CDT April 05, 2024 in News
UPDATE: After Donovan's story, several doctors reached out hoping to help. Monday, Sydney met with one of the doctors who... More >>
4 weeks ago Thursday, April 04 2024 Apr 4, 2024 Thursday, April 04, 2024 2:35:00 PM CDT April 04, 2024 in News
BAKER - A Baker school system employee is on administrative leave following an arrest. According to arrest documents, detectives... More >>
4 weeks ago Thursday, April 04 2024 Apr 4, 2024 Thursday, April 04, 2024 1:57:00 PM CDT April 04, 2024 in News
ZACHARY - A property owner living a few hundred feet away from the Comite Diversion Canal project says he's locked... More >>
4 weeks ago Tuesday, April 02 2024 Apr 2, 2024 Tuesday, April 02, 2024 7:41:00 PM CDT April 02, 2024 in News
BATON ROUGE - After a car being chased by police crashed into her home, 2 On Your Side helped Connie... More >>
1 month ago Monday, April 01 2024 Apr 1, 2024 Monday, April 01, 2024 6:57:00 PM CDT April 01, 2024 in News
BATON ROUGE - If you work in or visit downtown Baton Rouge, chances are you have experienced parking. It's not... More >>
1 month ago Thursday, March 28 2024 Mar 28, 2024 Thursday, March 28, 2024 6:29:00 PM CDT March 28, 2024 in News
PRAIRIEVILLE - It's a problem 2 On Your Side has been looking into for several years — one woman's fight... More >>
1 month ago Wednesday, March 27 2024 Mar 27, 2024 Wednesday, March 27, 2024 3:52:00 PM CDT March 27, 2024 in News
BATON ROUGE — A woman's home was hit by a teen driving a stolen car at the end of a... More >>
1 month ago Monday, March 25 2024 Mar 25, 2024 Monday, March 25, 2024 7:01:00 PM CDT March 25, 2024 in News
BATON ROUGE - Patricia Sullivan says she wants someone to take responsibility for all the water that's flooding her property... More >>
1 month ago Friday, March 22 2024 Mar 22, 2024 Friday, March 22, 2024 3:52:00 PM CDT March 22, 2024 in News
UPDATE The City-Parish made repairs to the guardrail Monday morning. Melody Russell says she is happy to have her safety... More >>
1 month ago Thursday, March 21 2024 Mar 21, 2024 Thursday, March 21, 2024 3:46:00 PM CDT March 21, 2024 in News
BATON ROUGE - A mom is trying to settle the debt of her daughter who died last year. There's one... More >>
1 month ago Tuesday, March 19 2024 Mar 19, 2024 Tuesday, March 19, 2024 7:08:00 PM CDT March 19, 2024 in News
BATON ROUGE - The East Baton Rouge Metro Council will take on an amendment to the unified development code that... More >>
1 month ago Monday, March 18 2024 Mar 18, 2024 Monday, March 18, 2024 6:32:00 PM CDT March 18, 2024 in News
PRAIRIEVILLE - A fleet of Entergy trucks were busy at work Wednesday morning making improvements to a neighborhood that often... More >>
1 month ago Wednesday, March 13 2024 Mar 13, 2024 Wednesday, March 13, 2024 2:02:00 PM CDT March 13, 2024 in News
GONZALES - The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality has taken drone footage of the red dust site in Ascension Parish.... More >>
1 month ago Tuesday, March 12 2024 Mar 12, 2024 Tuesday, March 12, 2024 10:41:00 PM CDT March 12, 2024 in News
BATON ROUGE - A WWII Veteran is resting peacefully under a new roof after she contacted 2 On Your Side... More >>
1 month ago Tuesday, March 12 2024 Mar 12, 2024 Tuesday, March 12, 2024 10:29:00 PM CDT March 12, 2024 in News
GONZALES - Ascension Parish leaders say they are another step closer to enclosing an old bauxite site for good. The... More >>
1 month ago Friday, March 08 2024 Mar 8, 2024 Friday, March 08, 2024 3:52:00 PM CST March 08, 2024 in News
DENHAM SPRINGS — There is a home in Denham Springs that's being elevated, a requirement made by FEMA following the... More >>
1 month ago Wednesday, March 06 2024 Mar 6, 2024 Wednesday, March 06, 2024 4:39:00 PM CST March 06, 2024 in News
BATON ROUGE - A woman's house has holes in it and after getting no where with the company that installed... More >>
1 month ago Tuesday, March 05 2024 Mar 5, 2024 Tuesday, March 05, 2024 6:11:00 PM CST March 05, 2024 in News
DONALDSONVILLE - Work on a pump station in Ascension Parish has shifted gears from pile driving , but people living... More >>
1 month ago Monday, March 04 2024 Mar 4, 2024 Monday, March 04, 2024 7:19:00 PM CST March 04, 2024 in News
GONZALES - It was windy on Tuesday. That, coupled with the drought conditions, caused red dust to fly in parts... More >>
2 months ago Wednesday, February 28 2024 Feb 28, 2024 Wednesday, February 28, 2024 5:29:00 PM CST February 28, 2024 in News
BATON ROUGE — As a concrete mixing truck backed up to Ginger Simon's driveway on Tuesday morning, she felt a... More >>
2 months ago Tuesday, February 27 2024 Feb 27, 2024 Tuesday, February 27, 2024 3:39:00 PM CST February 27, 2024 in News
BATON ROUGE - One man contacted 2 On Your Side after he says the post office didn't take his concerns... More >>
2 months ago Friday, February 23 2024 Feb 23, 2024 Friday, February 23, 2024 4:34:00 PM CST February 23, 2024 in News
BATON ROUGE - The city says it is discussing making an improvement to how it closes out constituent requests for... More >>
2 months ago Wednesday, February 21 2024 Feb 21, 2024 Wednesday, February 21, 2024 4:39:00 PM CST February 21, 2024 in News
BATON ROUGE - About 2,500 drivers who visited a private tag agent in the Baton Rouge area were mailed letters... More >>
2 months ago Wednesday, February 21 2024 Feb 21, 2024 Wednesday, February 21, 2024 11:38:00 AM CST February 21, 2024 in News
BATON ROUGE - Work to clean out waterways in the Baton Rouge area continues. Crews are currently on the Amite... More >>
2 months ago Tuesday, February 20 2024 Feb 20, 2024 Tuesday, February 20, 2024 8:11:00 PM CST February 20, 2024 in News
BATON ROUGE - Terri Taylor says she feels sick living in her house and it's because there's mold all over... More >>
2 months ago Friday, February 16 2024 Feb 16, 2024 Friday, February 16, 2024 3:51:00 PM CST February 16, 2024 in News
BATON ROUGE - The city continues its pledge to clear waterways in and around the Baton Rouge area. Thursday, crews... More >>
2 months ago Thursday, February 15 2024 Feb 15, 2024 Thursday, February 15, 2024 4:40:00 PM CST February 15, 2024 in News
BATON ROUGE - A national transmission shop has terminated ties with a troubled franchise in the Baton Rouge area. ... More >>
2 months ago Wednesday, February 14 2024 Feb 14, 2024 Wednesday, February 14, 2024 1:47:00 PM CST February 14, 2024 in News
BATON ROUGE - A budding problem on Fiero Street was fixed Tuesday after a construction crew spotted a tree growing... More >>
2 months ago Tuesday, February 13 2024 Feb 13, 2024 Tuesday, February 13, 2024 10:24:00 PM CST February 13, 2024 in News
BATON ROUGE - A pair of thieves targeted a property management rent check drop box over the weekend and got... More >>
2 months ago Thursday, February 08 2024 Feb 8, 2024 Thursday, February 08, 2024 1:23:00 PM CST February 08, 2024 in News
PRAIRIEVILLE - Their power goes out multiple times a year, sometimes when it's a gorgeous day outside. It happens so... More >>
2 months ago Tuesday, February 06 2024 Feb 6, 2024 Tuesday, February 06, 2024 10:39:00 PM CST February 06, 2024 in News
BATON ROUGE - One man says he's got a serious flooding issue on his hands and is trying to get... More >>
2 months ago Tuesday, February 06 2024 Feb 6, 2024 Tuesday, February 06, 2024 3:42:00 PM CST February 06, 2024 in News
D.R. Horton is facing heat again with Livingston Parish residents in the Foxglove subdivision finding out they may never take... More >>
3 months ago Wednesday, January 31 2024 Jan 31, 2024 Wednesday, January 31, 2024 6:39:00 PM CST January 31, 2024 in On Your Side
BATON ROUGE - A street in the Southdowns neighborhood repeatedly floods and people living there are tired of it happening... More >>
3 months ago Thursday, January 25 2024 Jan 25, 2024 Thursday, January 25, 2024 2:41:00 PM CST January 25, 2024 in News
BATON ROUGE - Top LSU football recruit Trey'Dez Green is waiting for a decision from the court about whether or... More >>
3 months ago Wednesday, January 24 2024 Jan 24, 2024 Wednesday, January 24, 2024 3:36:00 PM CST January 24, 2024 in News
BATON ROUGE - Alton Joe's car has been locked up in a fenced-in yard for three years. A judge says... More >>
3 months ago Tuesday, January 23 2024 Jan 23, 2024 Tuesday, January 23, 2024 6:47:00 PM CST January 23, 2024 in News

News tip form