Daycare worker charged with abusing child, causing brain hemorrhage

A Florida daycare worker has been arrested for allegedly abusing an infant multiple times, causing the child to have a brain bleed.

Alyssa Thompson Charged with one count of aggravated child abuse.

Thompson, 30, was arrested on Monday, May 4, following several incidents at Wee Care Too, a day care facility in Lake City, on different days in April.

Authorities with the Lake City Police Department launched an investigation into Thompson on April 20 after receiving a report that a child was “exhibiting symptoms including seizures, drowsiness and fever,” according to an arrest report reviewed by police. law and crime.

The child began having seizures while in the hospital and was taken to the Pediatric Care Center in Gainesville for further treatment.

The daycare director later reviewed the surveillance footage and told law enforcement that “she noticed some inappropriate behavior” by Thompson, according to charging documents. (Thompson worked at the location for three months.)

“I observed Alyssa Thompson throw (the baby) into the inflatable chair with such force that her head struck the metal pole of the inflatable chair,” the arrest report states. “In the video, you can see her head jerking forward from the force of her head hitting the railing. On the same day, approximately 20 minutes later, she grabbed (the baby) out of the crib and threw her onto the changing table. When she placed the baby on the changing table, from a considerable height, (the baby’s) head bounced off the changing table multiple times.”

The video also showed Thompson changing the baby’s diaper, and when the little girl was lifted from the table, she “appeared limp and motionless.”

Law enforcement said the incident that was videotaped was not the first time Thompson allegedly harmed a child.

A doctor at the pediatric hospital said the girl suffered a “fractured skull and bleeding on the brain” which they did not believe was “the result of a single incident”.

Police said “several other incidents of child abuse were discovered” on April 13.

According to charging documents, Thompson “grabbed and threw” the child onto the changing table, then picked the girl up, spun her and threw her onto the table. The little girl’s head “bounced off the wooden railing of the table,” and Thompson allegedly “picked her up under the arms and banged her head against the wooden railing of the changing table.”

Additionally, charging documents recount multiple incidents in which Thompson allegedly pushed, hit and shook the foam chair the girl was sitting in as she appeared to try to get “some type of response.”

Thompson is being held without bail at the Columbia County Jail, according to records reviewed. US Weekly. It was unclear whether she had entered a plea or retained legal counsel.

Wee Care Too also issued a public statement via Facebook on Tuesday, May 5, stating that they “took immediate action” to “remove the individual from our team.”

The daycare contacted “the Department of Children and Families and law enforcement” that day, adding, “Out of respect for the ongoing investigation, we are limited in what we can share publicly, but please know this: We are here, we are listening, and we are committed to doing the right thing.”

There was no immediate response from the Lake City Police Department. us‘ asked for comment on the case.