Judge grants competency evaluation for former Dayton Schools employee facing assault charges

DAYTON — A judge has granted a competency evaluation for a former Dayton School employee facing charges including assault.

Darrick Sorrells’ attorney filed a motion in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court suggesting to the court that Sorrells is currently not competent to stand trial and that an examiner should be appointed to determine his competency.

The competency evaluation was granted by Judge Elizabeth Ellis.

He is facing one count of assault and two counts of endangering children.

The charges stem from the Aug. 21 surveillance video which caught Sorrells, who was an employee at Rosa Parks Early Learning Center at the time, taking care of a 4-year-old special-needs child, previously identified by his parents as Braylen Tootle.

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Sorrells was pulling the child in a wagon when Braylen got out of the wagon and took off running. As News Center 7 previously reported, the video showed Sorrells chasing after Braylen. When he caught up to him, Sorrells was seen hitting the child on the head and knocking him down.

Video showed Sorrells picking Braylen up by the ankles and carrying him upside down back down the hallway.

Another employee at the school saw the incident and took the child from Sorrells, according to the prosecutor’s office.

After being placed on administrative leave, Sorrells “resigned in lieu of termination.”

Sorrells will be back in court on Dec. 19 to determine the results of the evaluation.

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