Waukesha Teacher Convicted; WV Commissioner Arrested

Jacob Daniel McCumbers, 39, a Calhoun County commissioner and Arnoldsburg Elementary teacher in West Virginia, was arrested Sept. 13 and arraigned on 50 counts of sexual abuse by a parent or guardian after a forensic interview in which an alleged victim said the abuse began before age 10 and continued for about eight to nine years; his preliminary hearing was waived, a new hearing is set for Oct. 10, police served a warrant for his DNA, and he remains free on bond. A Waukesha County jury found Heather Miller, a former lead teacher at The Lawrence School, guilty on four of five felony counts — three child-abuse counts and one count of second-degree recklessly endangering safety — for harming three infants in 2022. Prosecutors presented testimony from co‑workers, parents and medical witnesses describing incidents including a 1‑year‑old slammed face‑down into a crib, a child's head pressed into a Pack ’n Play leaving red marks, and another child flung across a room, and said staff propped mattresses to block room cameras. Miller testified in her own defense, denying the allegations and offering alternative explanations, while her attorneys argued there was no definitive surveillance evidence. The Lawrence School closed after investigators found it operating at over 150% capacity; two former supervisors have been charged with failing to prevent the abuse and face pending hearings, and the case began after parents sought medical care for an unwell child in 2022 that prompted a multi‑year investigation including witness reenactments and video evidence shown at trial.