Columbia Teacher Working As Uber Driver Accused Of Allegedly Kidnapping Minor Girl

A lawsuit has been filed against a South Carolina teacher accusing her of kidnapping and assaulting a minor while working as an Uber driver in Columbia.

The lawsuit, filed by the mother of the minor on May 24 in Richland County Court, also names Uber as a defendant for "not helping in the search to locate the vehicle," reports WIS TV.

The woman facing charges, Gina Kessee, 58, of Columbia, was a teacher at Blythewood Academy and still holds a valid teaching certification in South Carolina.

As per the lawsuit, the mother, who has not used her name in the court documents, called an Uber for herself and two of her minor daughters around 5 p.m. on Oct. 17, 2020.

When the cab, driven by Kessee, pulled up to their home in Richland County, the mother first strapped her youngest daughter in a car seat in the back of Kessee’s car. While she was trying to put the other child in the backseat, Kessee drove off immediately. The mother tried to open the door, but it was locked. She ran after the car but could not catch up with it, so she called 911.

Though the officers contacted Uber to get the company’s assistance in locating the vehicle, Uber "refused to provide law enforcement with any assistance" in locating the young girl, the lawsuit alleges. It adds that Kessee physically assaulted the child and cursed at her while driving around.

However, deputies located the vehicle soon. The child was checked out by EMS and cleared.

An incident report from the Richland County Sheriff’s Department says Kessee told deputies she thought the mother was in the vehicle. She said she did not look back to check until she got to the destination. Kessee claimed she tried to bring the child back, upon realizing the mistake. She was arrested and charged with kidnapping the next day but was released on bond soon after.

According to the lawsuit, the mother and her daughters “suffered and will in the future suffer serve and permanent emotional distress, humiliation, mental anguish, indignity, loss of pleasures and enjoyment of life which will in the future require psychological and psychiatric medical care and treatment."

Meanwhile, Richland County School District Two school spokesperson Libby Roof told FITS News that Kessee was placed on administrative leave immediately upon notification of her arrest and charges.