, Fla. — Rockledge police arrested 3 workers for child abuse of children at a daycare center. But in court, one of the three got out of the child abuse charge, but is still accused of tampering with a witness.
Attorney Brynn Brito represents the families of two victims, “This is such a shock to our whole community in the city of Rockledge. I mean so many parents trusting, those professionals to take care of their children, and they did not. In fact, they abused their children. “ According to the arrest report, suspects Nativia King and Stacy Hamilton Jackson were arrested for aggravated child abuse and tampering with a witness.
According to Brito, “Very inappropriate disciplining involving striking children where children were coming home with bruises.” Investigators say the suspects abused the children with an open hand or a wooden spoon. Brito explains how the workers were caught, “Somebody blew the whistle and the videotape pretty much shows what was going on.”
The report states, “The children adopted to the violence in the daycare and expected it as a common behavior.” It goes on to describe the suspects, stating, “They seemed angry and were torturing the children for no apparent reason.” Brito says, “The major victimization of this, is that you know they didn’t even know enough to know that it was wrong.” The children ranged from one to four years old.
We tried to talk to workers at Gingerbread Manor Childcare, but were told they did not want to comment. They released a statement on Facebook saying in part, “Our attorneys are reviewing legal recourse against those who filed false reports. An attorney representing suspect Kia Walker told a judge, “There’s no evidence these children were placed in harm.”
During court, the judge didn’t find probable cause to charge Kia Walker, who runs the daycare, with child abuse, but she was charged with tampering with a witness.
All three are accused of calling parents and asking them not to give a police statement.
And while defense attorneys argue the video surveillance was obtained illegally, officers say they had to pull the evidence immediately concerned the workers would destroy it.
Brito says, “The kids are just very, very upset and obviously the parents are too.”
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