Key Takeaways

• The child’s mother says she was denied access to the surveillance footage for over two weeks.
• The daycare director apologized and confirmed all involved staff were fired, but the family is demanding criminal charges.
• The incident has raised concerns about oversight and accountability in special needs childcare facilities.

A disturbing surveillance video out of Inglewood, California, is prompting outrage after a daycare worker was seen throwing her shoe at a 5-year-old girl with special needs.

According to ABC7, the incident happened Jan. 16 at Destiny Development Center. The footage, which was shared on Facebook by a parent, shows a woman removing her shoe and hurling it at the child, who can be heard crying immediately after being struck. Two other staff members are visible in the room, with one appearing to laugh.

The child’s mother, Michelae Jones, told KTLA she was shocked and heartbroken by what she saw, especially after trusting the facility with her daughter’s care for years. “I’ve been with these people for three years,” Jones said. “I really thought my baby was safe with them.”

Jones said her daughter told her what happened the same night, prompting her to confront the daycare’s director. However, she claims it took more than two weeks before she was finally allowed to view the surveillance footage.

The child’s aunt, Kira Townsend, questioned the facility’s safety practices and monitoring procedures. “I want to know how often are they reviewing the footage?” Townsend asked. “How do you have a business and you don’t review the footage unless a parent says something? Why do we have to wait for my niece to come and tell us, ‘Hey, my teacher hit me in the ear with a shoe.’”

Jones said an apology alone is not enough and is calling for criminal charges. “You need to be in jail like any other child abuser,” she said. “That’s what I want. Justice.”

Destiny Development Center’s director issues a public statement

Destiny Development Center director Danielle Williams released a lengthy public statement on Instagram, apologizing to the family and addressing the incident. “I wanted to begin by apologizing to the parent, the child in the video, who was abused and failed by the staff that were also in the class who are all entrusted caregivers of this student, and all of you who had to witness this traumatic experience,” Williams said.

She added, “I understand the hurt, frustration of the mother. I’m a mother, a Black mother, a Black educator.” Williams said the employee involved had no prior warning signs and stressed that the facility follows required hiring and training procedures. “When we hire staff, we cannot predict that there may be a day that they’ll decide to abuse a child,” she said.

Williams confirmed that all staff involved were terminated and said the video was turned over to the state for further investigation. “We do not stand for abuse and neglect of a child of any kind,” she continued. “Again, we are deeply sorry.”

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is continuing to investigate the incident. No arrests have been announced at this time.