CRYSTAL CITY, MO (KTVI)– A daycare employee is caught on camera dragging a two-year-old by the arm, yet Missouri State regulators claim they can`t prove abuse.
Fox 2 obtained a report by the Missouri Department of Social Services that describes a child who went to the emergency room from Brain Station Daycare in Crystal City. The trip to the hospital came after video surveillance showed the toddler was dragged by the arm. However, even with video proof, the report says it’s `unsubstantiated.` The victim`s mom, who does not want to be identified, wonders how State inspectors could claim they can`t prove it.
Mom said, “I think it`s absolutely ridiculous that she should get away with it when they have proof of her doing it to a child and in the video she slammed another child to the ground also.”
We can`t show you the tape from inside the daycare, because it`s part of an active investigation by the Crystal City Police Department. According to MO DSS, a worker is seen on surveillance, ‘lifting (a 2-year old girl`s) whole body by the arm.’ Video reportedly shows the ‘(girl) is crying’ yet the teacher again pulls the child`s ‘arm straight up’ carrying her with ‘(her) feet dragging’ and the child continues ‘crying and rubbing her arm.’ The (hospital) later diagnosed a ‘sprain/strain.’
Mom added, “When I seen it, it made me just cry and sick to my stomach and the whole night I had a hard time with it because when I looked at her I knew she was hurting.”
The owner of Brain Station did not want to talk on camera, but he told me he responded immediately. He said he saw the incident on tape, then he called the parents, police, and the State. The owner also said the employee went home the same day and no longer works at Brain Station.
The DSS report mentions other issues caught on tape, besides picking up kids by the arm, the teacher reportedly ‘pushed a child’ who then fell and used ‘aggressive gestures’ like taking away kids toys and throwing them.
Mom said, “I don`t get why they can`t put her on a list where she can`t take care of another human being – period – and the rest of her life when they have proof of her hurting another human being.”
As of now, the accused teacher may easily be able to get another job, because she keeps her clean record with this finding of ‘unsubstantiated.’ DSS can`t talk about specific cases. So I asked for a general response about what regulators consider abuse, if it`s not abusive to drag kids or push them to the ground. They’re not yet answering. We`ll keep asking.
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