Child abuse complaint against former Visalia teacher dismissed over timing
The child abuse case against a former Visalia Unified special education teacher, comprised of ten misdemeanor counts, has been dismissed.
The decision was made on Thursday in a Tulare County courtroom. A spokesperson for the district attorney’s office said the case against Lacie Ann Horsting, 34, was dismissed due to statute of limitations expiration.
“After filing the case on April 16, 2026, we received more information from the Visalia Unified School District clarifying when the teacher was removed from the classroom,” said spokesperson Stuart Anderson.
Within the complaint, Horsting is accused of harming children that were in her care. Five children are identified by their initials in the complaint, and an additional five are listed as Jane Does.
Horsting is accused of abusing the children between August 2024 and June 2025, per the complaint. The statute of limitations for misdemeanor crimes is one year, Anderson said.
Gregory McNair, an attorney representing plaintiffs in the case, accused the school of sweeping the matter under the rug and called for the district to take accountability.
McNair said his clients are prepared to take the district to civil court, though they haven’t yet filed a lawsuit.
A spokesperson for Visalia Unified did not respond to questions seeking clarity on when Horsting was employed with the district.
