Bainbridge, GA – A Georgia day care worker has been arrested on charges of child abuse and aggravated battery after allegedly beating a 1-year-old boy on his first day at Little Blessings Child Care. The attack left the boy bruised, cut, and battered, according to the child’s father and police.
Father’s Heartbreaking Facebook Post
“This is every parent’s worst nightmare,” said Cory Weeks in a Facebook post on Thursday, expressing his heartbreak after the incident. Weeks shared that the incident occurred on his son’s first day at the daycare, writing, “This was his FIRST DAY!!!“
Surveillance Video Captures the Assault
Surveillance video shows Yvette Thurston, 54, allegedly attacking Weeks’ son. While the exact time of the assault remains unclear, it is known that the attack occurred on the first day the child was at the daycare.
Alleged Cover-Up by Day Care Facility
Weeks also accused Thurston and the daycare of being dishonest when questioned about the incident. He claimed that staff initially told him another child caused the injuries with a plastic toy.
“We were told another child in [the victim’s] class did this type of damage with a plastic toy,” Weeks wrote on Facebook.
Charges Against the Day Care Worker
Thurston faces first-degree aggravated battery and three counts of first-degree child abuse. Despite the severity of the charges, she was released on $44,000 bond over the weekend.
Weeks expressed his anger, stating, “We trusted this facility to care and love our kids and on their FIRST DAY that was violated.”
Calls for Accountability
Weeks has vowed to ensure that the incident is not “swept under the rug” and that the daycare is held accountable. The father further emphasized the tragic nature of the attack, describing the video footage as “not for the faint-hearted,” given that it involved such a vulnerable child.
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