A worker at a nursery in Georgia was taken into custody and accused of aggravated battery and child abuse last month for allegedly assaulting a one-year-old child on his first day of attendance and falsely attributing the injuries to another child.
The incident took place at Little Blessings Child Care in Bainbridge, where 54-year-old Yvette Thurston left the child with scratches on his face and neck, along with a black eye.
Initially, the parents of Clay Weeks were informed that another child had caused the injuries with a plastic toy. However, after the father viewed security footage, it was revealed that Thurston was responsible for the assault. Subsequently, Thurston was arrested on August 11 and charged with first-degree aggravated battery and three counts of first-degree child abuse.
A bond of $44,000 was set, which was reportedly paid according to jail records cited by WCTV.
The nursery is associated with the Bainbridge Church of God. Following the incident, the state issued an emergency closure order for the nursery, which Little Blessings did not contest. The nursery will remain closed until September 21.
Thurston was terminated from her position as confirmed by the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning.
Images released by Weeks’ family displayed severe bruising around his right eye and multiple lacerations on his face and neck.
Weeks received medical treatment for his injuries and his father expressed gratitude for the care provided. He emphasized the disturbing nature of the surveillance footage, stating that the incident was distressing, especially considering it happened to an innocent child.
The Mirror US reached out to the Bainbridge chief of police for further details on the case.
Cory Weeks advised parents to verify incident reports from daycare facilities and not to accept false narratives easily. He highlighted the importance of questioning the circumstances surrounding any reported incidents.
Expressing concern and dismay over the incident, Weeks stressed the vulnerability of his son on his first day away from his parents. The family also speculated in a Facebook post that Thurston might have a history of similar violence against other students given the severity of the assault on their son.