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Inset: Laura Flores. Background: Flores during her arrest for allegedly abusing three 13-month-old children at a Florida day care (Marion County Sheriff”s Office).
In a disturbing incident at a Florida day care center, a staff member was taken into custody after allegedly mistreating three toddlers. The worker, identified as Laura Flores, 31, is accused of kicking, hitting, and slapping the 13-month-old children during nap time. The allegations arose when Flores reportedly lost her temper because the toddlers were not settling down to sleep.
Flores, employed at the Bright Beginnings Learning Center located in Summerfield near Ocala, now faces three charges of child cruelty without causing significant injury. The details come from a probable cause affidavit obtained by Law&Crime, which sheds light on the events leading to her arrest.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office became involved on February 13, following reports that one of the children had developed bruises and abrasions on both cheeks. These injuries were absent when the child was dropped off two days earlier. Flores allegedly attributed the marks to the child falling off a piano when questioned about their origin.
However, surveillance footage from the classroom contradicted her explanation. The video evidence reportedly showed Flores acting “aggressively” towards the child in question while attempting to put him down for a nap, according to the affidavit. In text exchanges with the child’s mother, Flores remarked that it was unfair to other children that her son was not staying asleep.
Adding another layer to the situation, deputies noted that Flores’ own child was present in the same class, and her frustration seemed to stem partly from having to attend to other children while leaving her own child unattended.
Video allegedly showed Flores kicking the victim, causing him to fall on his face. When the other kids were sleeping, Flores slapped the boy and put her foot on top of him to stop him from moving, according to cops.
“She also aggressively jerks him up and shoves him back onto the mat several times,” the affidavit stated.
There were other alleged victims as well. Flores slapped a girl in the stomach and was “jerking her up off the mat after she continued to move around during nap time.” She also hit a second boy in the back of the head and walked away with him while holding him by one arm, deputies wrote.
“The strikes to the three 13-month-old victims were intentional, without an apparent legitimate purpose” and could result in injuries to the children, cops wrote.
Prishawna Smith, a mother of one of the victims, told local Fox affiliate WOFL she was stunned when she learned Flores was allegedly responsible for her son’s injuries.
“The anger in me wants her behind bars. I want her to have to sit and think about what she’s done. But ultimately, God is going to deal with her,” she told the TV station.
Flores was arrested on Monday and has since posted a $15,000 bond. Her next court date is set for March 31.