Louisiana Family Turns Tragedy Into Advocacy With Charlie's Law After Preschool Assault

How a Family’s Grief Sparked an Overhaul of Louisiana Preschool Oversight

The alleged sexual assault of a 3-year-old girl at a Metairie preschool in March 2024 upended her family’s life and exposed a blind spot in Louisiana state law, WDSU reported. Roger and Jana Williams discovered that nonpublic schools attached to a day school were not required to be licensed.

That realization sent the couple to Baton Rouge for dozens of trips during the 2025 legislative session. Working alongside State Sen. Regina Barrow, they helped inspire the passage of what became known as Charlie’s Law, which introduced stricter reporting requirements for suspected abuse and licensing requirements for private and religious early learning programs.

The legislative victory brought heavy emotional weight for the family. During a Senate hearing following the bill’s passage, Roger Williams addressed lawmakers through tears.

Today I’m not just here to say thank you. I’m here to say let’s keep going. Let’s keep closing the gap. Let’s make Louisiana the safest place for kids to grow up because our kids deserve nothing less.

Barrow praised the family’s advocacy during the same hearing. She noted that their advocacy would likely protect multiple children and families from similar heartache.

Lawmakers Amend Statute to Exempt Private School Programs

Charlie’s Law survived legal challenges after courts declined to block it. However, regulations shifted again during the 2026 legislative session when lawmakers revisited the legislation.

Louisiana Family Turns Tragedy Into Advocacy With Charlie's Law After Preschool Assault

Lawmakers amended the law to exempt private school pre-K programs from the licensing requirements that had originally been included. State Sen. Beth Mizell sponsored those changes, and said other accountability and safety standards remained in place despite the exemption.

Meanwhile, the civil litigation tied to the initial incident continues. The Williams family filed a civil lawsuit against Kehoe-France alleging negligent supervision.

Dr. Tanya Price, Executive Head of School at Kehoe-France, denied the allegations in a statement to WDSU, emphasizing the institution’s commitment to student safety and confidentiality.

The safety and well-being of our students are Kehoe-France’s highest priorities. Kehoe-France disagrees with the allegations made against the school and will continue to defend itself through the legal process.

Price added that the school has not been contacted by the FBI regarding the matter and will handle the claims through the court system.

Moving Forward After Trauma

For the Williams family, the focus remains centered on their daughter, who is now 6 years old, attending a new school, and continuing therapy.

Jana Williams noted that rebuilding trust wasn’t easy. The couple continues to share their story publicly to help prevent other families from experiencing similar trauma.

Roger Williams maintains that the ordeal revealed that the system failed at all levels of government.

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